


Precious Love

by LilyAu



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Actor!Viktor, Alternate Universe - Kindergarten & Pre-school, Christophe as Yuuri's senior, Desperate viktor, International kindergarten school, M/M, Minor otayuri, Most of the skaters are Yuuri's student, Pining Viktor, Sensei!Yuuri, Slow Build, The kids love Yuuri, The students are 5 years old, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Yuuri is good with kids, hug, kinda OOC, lots of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-03
Updated: 2017-02-12
Packaged: 2018-09-06 07:48:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 63,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8741008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilyAu/pseuds/LilyAu
Summary: Basicaly Yuuri's first job as kindergarten teacher who believe his english ability is his only good trait and Yurio as his problematic-anti-social-tsundere student who strangely attached to him. Add the boy's famous-handsome-actor-father who is in desperate need of new caretaker.Warning: Kinda ooc yurio. Lots of fluff. Annoying papa viktor. First time in Ao3 still confused how things work here...





	1. Unexpected

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, this is my first fic in Ao3. Never thought I'd had the urge to write something for this fandom, usually I just draw and post them at my tumblr. I hope you enjoy it :'D
> 
> Chapter 1 already beta'ed by Ninjassasin8 /salute to her even in holiday and crowded place still fixing these chapter \^^/ YAY

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the beta version from Ninjassasin8 :D  
> Really saluting her since she can edit even in most crowded place 
> 
> We hope you enjoy this chapter! Thank you XD

The cherry trees around Hasetsu station were in bloom, indicating that the pretty season when the days got warmer and sun rays kissed the snowless ground had started. The smell of fresh grass and cool air pushed into the building as the front door opened. Yuuri fixed his glasses and walked down the kindergarten corridor, ready to greet his students.

Yuuri turned 19 this year and had decided to work instead of going to university. He was given a job as a teacher at Hasetsu International Elementary, where the children of many foreigners attended school.

At first he hadn't thought that he would become teacher there, since originally he had been helping around the daycare center beside the kindergarten, not the school itself. He still couldn't really believe that the school had accepted him as a teacher. 

Yuuri had been working at the daycare since he was 15. He'd spent more time at the daycare center and at Minako’s ballet studio than anywhere else. His friend Takeshi was the one who'd convinced him to come and help out, since he knew that Yuuri was a good English speaker and English was generally the common language for the young students of the school.

Yuuri graduated with an average standing at his high school before he started working as a kindergarten teacher six months ago. Fairly new to his job, Yuuri tried his best to tend to his students.

The class was as eclectic as it was lively. There was the ever friendly Phichit Chulanont from Thailand, who often hung out with carefree Leo de la Iglesia from America and shy Guang Hong Ji from China (who always seemed to be hiding behind his friend). Seung Gil Lee from Korea and seemed expressionless, but was popular with girls, while the Canadian J.J. Leroy and his troublemaker tendencies was anything but expressionless, despite being just as popular. He got along particularly well with Isabella Yang, who was also from Canada. Sara Crispino and her overprotective brother, Michele, were twins from Italy. Minami Kenjirou was the only Japanese student, but he was the liveliest of all his classmates. Last but not least, the class’s youngest student was Yuri Plisetsky from Russia, who looked like fairy but behaved like gangster. 

At first little Yuri terrified him with the way he acted. He had a habit of kicking people and speaking rudely at full volume, but in truth, he was a good kid. The kids called him “Yurio,” since he had the same name as Yuuri, and the boy somehow learned to accept it after several months of angrily correcting his classmates as they persistently added an “o” to the end of his name. 

The blond boy often startled Yuuri because, for some reason, Yuri tended to stare at him for long periods of time. Or maybe it was glaring? Yuuri isn’t sure. But then again Yuri would often walk up to Yuuri’s legs simply to lean on or hug them with a scary face. At afternoon nap time, Yuri always crawled into Yuuri’s lap and slept there like he owned it. 

Yuuri blushed at the sudden affection that his anti-social student showed him. Little Yuri was like a cat. Tired and cuddly one minute, then hissy and territorial the next. He and J.J certainly fought like cats and dogs, since the Canadian boy liked being carried by Yuuri as much as his blonde classmate did. 

It was almost like Yuri became jealous whenever Yuuri played with or carried any children besides him, but the thought made Yuuri laugh. He often couldn’t help but smile at the kids and their antics. Children were so honest and pure, so different from adults. Sometimes he missed his days as a kid. Sometimes.

Yuuri was on his way to deliver his reports to Christophe before class began when he saw someone waving their hands at him. 

“Yuuri! Headmaster wants to see us!” Takeshi was standing in front of the open door of the headmaster’s office. He was a little surprised since Takeshi worked at daycare center, not the actual school.

When the potential implications of his friend’s presence dawned on him, he had to swallow the sudden lump at his throat. What happened this time? Why had the headmaster called him? Was something wrong? Yuuri stuffed the report in his bag and walked hurriedly to the office.

Yuuri entered quietly behind Takeshi and then slowly came to stand beside his friend, fixing his apron as he waited for the headmaster to speak.

The headmaster was an old but surly Russian man named Yakov. He was passionate and good at what he did, but his gruff nature could be intimidating. Yuuri stood stiffly, hardly daring to breathe. The old man simply stared him down quietly for a minutes before he began speaking.

“Yuuri, it has been six months since you’ve started working here.” The man took a pause before continuing, his tone sounding tired.

“Before you worked at the daycare center beside the school, isn’t that right?”

Yuuri cleared his throat and hoped that his voice would work, “Y-yes sir, I worked there for three years.”

“Yes, I’ve read your resume. Seems you’re good with the kids.”

Yuuri stared at his feet and wondered again why the headmaster had called both him and Takeshi to his office. He snuck a peek at Takeshi, but his friend only gave him a wide grin.

Yakov patted his shiny forehead, looking a little stressed, “We have little problem, and we think you might be able to fix it.”

Yuuri’s warm chocolate eyes widened in surprise.

What kind of problem could Yakov possibly have that Yuuri would be able to fix? He didn’t exactly have any special talents or anything. His studies were average and the only good things that he had going for him were his his ability to speak English and dance ballet. Not to mention, there were plenty of much more qualified workers here like Christophe, his senior, who had far more experience than he did. 

Yakov sighed called Yuuri attention back to him again.

“I don’t know if this is some coincidence because both of you have the same name, but Yuri- the little one- seems quite attached to you.”

Yuuri blinked. “Yurio?”

“...Attached?”

“To me?” he shook his head, “Um, rather, wait… What about him?”

The man tapped his finger on the table, attempting to string together the right words to explain, “He just moved to Japan about seven months ago. He usually waits for his caretakers to pick him up after school, but since his caretaker recently quit, he will have to wait at the daycare center until his father can pick him up.”

Yuuri waited for Yakov to continue, “He is adopted, and his father often works until late at night. Yuri is rather… problematic when you’re not around. The daycare center has trouble keeping him under control.”

Yuuri’s eyes widened in surprise. He had heard from other teachers and kids that Yuri was quite the delinquent, and Yuuri had seen that side of him before, but he’d thought that Yuri had been improving over the past few months… Yuri had always been the type to yell at both him and other kids, but recently he had been behaving less roughly and almost more sweetly. He had stopped kicking him last month and was often quite adorable, actually. Minus the odd staring, of course. He never realized that the boy was still terrorizing the rest of the staff. He’d thought Yuri treated him the same as everyone else… No wonder Minami was so scared of him. 

Unfortunately, that didn’t explain why Yuri had started acting so differently around him recently. When he spoke to Yuuri, his voice was surprisingly softer than his usual yell, especially yesterday when he randomly picked a wildflower from the garden and gave it to him. As strange as it was, it seemed that the boy enjoyed being near him. He certainly hadn’t been that way before.

But then again Yuuri knew he shouldn’t have been that shocked. The feeling that Yuri was lonely and sensitive had never gone away. In fact, sometimes Yuuri wondered if the child had been bullied at the orphanage he had come from. Surely something must have made him act that way, right?

Yuuri looked back up at Yakov. “Maybe he’s lonely... Since his father is busy with work and all?” Yuuri recalled all the times the boy had sat staring into empty space or curled up in a corner so that no one would notice him. He rarely wanted to play with the other kids, and he often refused to talk with or be near them. When he got like that, Yuuri had to come up to him so that the boy could crawl over and fall asleep in Yuuri’s arms. 

The first few (though it was more than"few") times Yuuri tried this, the boy growled at him, gave him nasty looks, or yelled at him to go away, but Yuuri knew how much more lonely the boy would have felt if he didn't approach him. The child had to know that someone was willing to be there for him, no matter how rough he was around the edges. 

Thankfully, after three months, the boy started to warm up to him, even going as far sleeping on his lap during afternoon nap time. Before Yuri, it was J.J. and Minami who fought for the spot in Yuuri’s arms, but Minami was terrified of Yuri’s glare, so only J.J. was left to take a stand for the spot. At least J.J. spends his lunch time playing with other kids. Yuuri would have collapsed long ago if he'd had to stop their fights at lunch too. 

Yakov shifted behind his desk, instantly snapping Yuuri’s mind to reality. “Yuuri, I want you to help the daycare after you’ve finished class to look after Yuri.”

Yakov sighed when Yuuri’s eyes widened in surprise. “You'll be waiting there with him until his father comes to pick him up, is that clear?"

Yuuri sputtered silently before finally managing to squeak out, “M-me?”

The young man couldn't quite believed what he just heard. Yuuri snuck a look at his childhood friend, who smiled at him. “It's not a big deal! It'll only be for a little while, and I’ll be helping you until six in the evenings.”

Yuuri nodded slowly, still unsure, but still nodding anyway because he really didn't want Yakov upset with him. “O-okay, I’ll try my best?” the old russian man gave satisfied huff.

“Both of you are dismissed. Yuuri, you'll be starting after school tomorrow. Now both of you head back to where you need to be." 

They both gave quick bows before exiting the room. Suddenly Takeshi patted his back hard, making him jump forward a few steps.

“Cheer up Yuuri! Like I said, it's only for a little while! Don’t be sad 'cause you can’t see Minako-sensei!” his childhood friend grinned at him and Yuuri could only tilted his head in confusion. It took a few seconds for him to understand what his friend was implying."

“Hey! I am NOT seeing her like that!!" 

Takeshi only laughed loudly and turned down the opposite hallway. “See you tomorrow Yuuri!” He called, waving his hand. 

Yuuri waved back at him, standing there until his friend had disappeared. 

He fixed his glasses and stared at the trees outside the window. The sun's rays reflected off the glass windows, and the tree leaves swayed softly in the wind. Yuuri sighed, slowly making his way back to his class.

‘Can I really do this...?'

...

The school bell rang. Some children were excitedly chattering as they began their walks home while others moved to the Daycare to wait for their parents/caretakers. Yuri was silently walking towards the door of the classroom when Yuuri called him.

“Yurio! I’ll be coming with you to the daycare center. Let’s go.” Yuuri smiled at the blond boy who responded with a blush of excitement on his cheeks. Usually Yuuri stayed in the classroom until he has finished all of his work, so Yurio never saw him at the daycare center.

His chubby hands reached up in a silent request for Yuuri to carry him, making Yuuri chuckle. Just as Yuuri was bending down to pick him up, he felt a strong tug at his sleeve.

“Yuuri-sensei! I wanna come too!!” J.J. had suddenly popped up out of nowhere, and he didn't let go of Yuuri sleeve even as he jumped up and down to keep his teacher's attention. 

J.J. grabbed at Yuuri's arm more boldly. “Carry me, Yuuri-sensei!”

Yuuri smile softly at J.J. but stopped when he heard little Yuri growl at his classmate. 

In truth, Yuuri had planned to carry Yuri on his right arm and J.J. in his left arm to avoid any fighting, but it seemed that Yuri doesn’t want to share his place with anyone. Why wasn't he surprised...

J.J. gave a smug smile, then rubbed his head into Yuuri's neck before leaning in to peck Yuuri’s cheek. The blond boy yelled at him, but J.J. only leaned in closer.

“Yurio is jealous~ Yurio is jealous~ Yuuri-sensei isn’t yours, he’s mine~” he hugged Yuuri tightly then stuck out his tongue at the blond boy.

“HEY! GET AWAY, BASTARD! YUURI-SENSEI IS MINE!!”

"Yurio, language!" 

The child ignored Yuuri as he pounced at J.J, but the other boy was faster. Yurio ended up chasing J.J. until they reached the daycare center with Yuuri following exasperatedly behind them. 

“Be careful you two! Fighting is bad!” Yuuri was still following them when he felt a sudden bump on the back of his thigh. Yuuri looked down to see Minami standing there with teary eyes. 

“Yuuri-sensei,” Minami said, hugging his leg tightly. “You always spend more time with Yurio... You still like me, right sensei?”

Snot began to form and dropped right onto Yuuri's pants. Yuuri sighed quietly but still gave the boy a gentle smile as he wiped his nose with a tissue from his pocket.

Why did children have to be so cute? Though he was very awkward the first time they swarmed around him, Yuuri had slowly begun to like them more and more as he spent more of his teenage days at the daycare. They were all so adorable and pure and honest and Yuuri never would've known if Takeshi had never convinced him to give the daycare a try. 

“I like all of you, don’t worry,” He said, patting the boy’s head softly. “Come on, Minami. I’ll carry you.” He scooped the boy up and was instantly rewarded with a bright, happy smile. He clutched Yuuri’s blue apron as they exited the kindergarten silently.

Minami spent his time at the daycare in Yuuri’s lap until his mother came to pick him up. The boy cried his heart out when he had to go home, upset that he had to give up sensei's lap when he had just been able to have the spot without fighting Yurio or J.J. for it.

A few minutes before Minami's mother arrived, Yurio had given up on chasing J.J, who had proven to be too quick to pin down for long. He looked up to find Yuuri, but stopped when he saw Minami sleeping in his teacher's lap. 

His spot. Minami had taken his SPOT. The small boy hissed quietly. He'd really hated everyone since his first day of kindergarten, but then Yuuri came along. Yuuri was a gentle, quiet teacher, and he loved Yuuri’s calming scent, his gentle voice, and his soft lap. Yurio hated most people, especially J.J. and Minami who were just annoying as hell. Not mention they often stuck to Yuuri like ticks... Also, he hated his all of his caretakers. They only acted nice in front of his papa and then ignored him completely at home. People said that his adoptive father had a hard time finding qualified caretakers because Yurio behaved terribly and refused to let any strangers near him, but Yurio honestly thought that the caretakers were the ones at fault. 

Yurio stomped up to Yuuri, ready to push Minami out of the way when suddenly his sensei stood up and walked over to Minami's mom at the front counter with Minami in his arms.

After Minami’s crying episode and a little scolding from his mother, they walked out of the daycare center and left Yuuri to talk with the big man named Takeshi at the front desk.

Suddenly Yurio jumped onto Yuuri’s legs and nearly knocked him down. Yurio clutched at his leg even tighter as Yuuri flailed to regain his balance. The boy peeked up at him and Yuuri smiled, confused but gentle. 

“Yurio, where have you been? I saw J.J. outside, but you weren't with him.” Yuuri patted his soft blond hair and crouched down to lift the boy up.

“...I’m sleepy.” The boy stated shortly from behind his bangs. Yuuri shivered a little at the look but then shook his head. Yuuri carried him inside, feeling the boy clutching his apron tightly. 

Yuuri sat down on the soft floor with Yuri clinging to his neck. The boy nuzzled Yuuri’s shoulder and breathed in deeply.

“Sensei, don’t go anywhere.”

Something about his teacher's scent helped Yuri calm down. With two arms around his small body, Yuri felt safe and warm and it became too easy to fall into a peaceful sleep as he quietly drowned in Yuuri’s soft embrace.

 

...

 

Surprisingly, the rest of the evening went by smoothly. There wasn't a single incidence of water spilling, children crying, or kids fighting over toys. When the second to last child left, it was nearly 7pm. Yuuri looked around the empty daycare and thought to himself that Yurio's father wouldn't be showing up any time soon.

Yuuri wondered if the boy was hungry since it was dinner time for most families. Yuuri set the boy down and stood up to check the fridge where they kept the snacks. Yurio's eyes followed him curiously.

“Yurio, are you hungry?”

The boy hesitated for a moment but nodded.

“Perfect, Takeshi just brought me ingredients to make dinner before he went home. What would you like? An omelet? A sandwich? Katsudon?"

The boy trotted over to him and peeked up at the counter.

“What's a katsudon?” he asked, staring curiously at the shopping bags that Takeshi had brought. There was cooked rice, flour, eggs, and several other ingredients that Yuri couldn't name.

Yuuri collected the ingredients he needed and put away the rest in the small fridge and cabinets. Luckily the daycare center had a fully functional kitchen, though they didn’t use it much unless there was a party or some other event happening. Before, he often used the kitchen to make treats and simple dishes for the kids.

Yuuri chuckled softly at Yurio’s expression. “I’ll make it, please wait at the table. It won’t be too long.”

He started by chopping up some vegetables and preparing the pork, moving efficiently around the kitchen as he let the meat fry in the pot of oil next to the pan of sauce. After a little while, he had two bowls of katsudon in his hands.

Yurio sniffed the smaller bowl Yuuri gave him, already drooling at the smell that was making his stomach growl in anticipation. 

“Itadakimasu.” Yuuri sat down beside him and smiled. 

“I hope you like it, it’s my favourite food.”

Yurio turned his sparkling eyes to the meal in front of him and curiously bit into his first spoonful. He was silent for a beat before proceeding to gobble down his food so fast that Yuuri worried he might choke.

“Yurio, you have rice and sauce all over your cheeks...” he wiped the boy’s cheeks with a napkin before continuing to eat his food as Yurio finished his share and sat down calmly with full stomach.

The boy looked sleepy, and Yuuri couldn't help but smile at how adorable Yurio was. The look on his face was totally different from the usual stoic/annoyed gangster expression he usually had on. He gave him some water and decided to clean up the mess that Yurio had made.

He had just gotten up to clear the table when he jumped in surprise at the sight of a man’s silhouette outside the door.

How long had the stranger been there?!

Upon closer inspection, Yuuri saw that the man was wearing dark glasses and a long coat behind the glass door. A surgical mask covered half of his face, so Yuuri couldn't see what he looked like very clearly. Yuuri quickly moved to cradle Yurio protectively in his arms. Only suspicious people would wear sunglasses at night! Not to mention that mask... It was already late and Takeshi had headed home. Yuuri was supposed to lock up because no one else was in the building, so running for help wasn’t going to be an option…

The man moved closer to the door upon realizing that Yuuri had noticed him. He began to push the glass door open, and Yuuri cleared his throat. Cautiously, he asked, “W-who are you?” he tightened his hold on Yurio.

The man took note of Yuuri’s body language and held both of his hands up defensively. “Ah, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you!”

His English was a little accented. The man pulled off his mask and sunglasses, smiling at Yuuri, who was staring in wide eyed disbelief at the man before him.

“I was just surprised that you got him to sit down and eat. He never does that at home! I didn’t want to intrude, so I figured it would be best to let you two finish your food first.”

Yuuri couldn’t hear a thing the man was saying. He was too focused on that silver hair, those striking blue eyes, and that smile… No, it couldn’t be-

“Papa!” Yurio said, staring at the man with wide eyes.

Yuuri blinked several times before coming to terms with the fact that, yes, the man before him was really Viktor Nikiforov. The legendary Russian actor who people worshipped and called a genius. He had heard that Victor was staying in Japan for a movie project and several modeling jobs, but he didn’t realize that Victor would be staying in a city as small as Hasetsu. And Yurio just called him ‘papa?’

The man waved his hand at Yuri, walking slowly towards his son.

“I’m sorry,” he said, smiling apologetically at Yuuri. “I just got off work and I rushed here as quickly as I could, but it seems that only Yuri is left…”

He moved closer but Yurio latched onto Yuuri’s sleeve.

“Go away! I don’t wanna go home!” Yurio buried his face in Yuuri’s chest, avoiding his father’s eyes. Victor looked a little hurt at Yurio’s rejection.

“Yuri… I’m so sorry, please don’t hate papa…” Victor’s heartbroken voice broke Yuuri’s heart. The man had actually start to sob a little.

Yuuri didn’t know what to do. He was surprised to see one of the world’s most charismatic figures break down like that… Yuuri turned his attention to Yurio, who was now stubbornly staring his father down. 

“Yurio…” Yuuri said, patting his hair softly. “Your father came to pick you up from work… He must be exhausted, you know. Can you make sensei proud and be a good boy? We’ll see each other again tomorrow.” 

‘Yurio?’ Victor regained his composure but couldn’t resist a small smile at his son’s nickname. Victor walked up beside Yuuri to pat Yuri’s hair. 

"Please Yuri, let’s go home. It’s late.”

Yuuri blushed as he felt Victor’s closeness at his arm. He could smell the expensive cologne that the man was wearing as his warm hands grazed his shoulder. 

Yurio rubbed his face on Yuuri’s chest, shaking his head repeatedly.“But Yuuri-sensei’s not at home! I just got sensei to myself!”

Both men stayed silent for a while before Yuuri broke the tension with an awkward laugh, “What are you talking about Yurio? I’ll see you tomorrow. Besides, I have to be here and you have to go-“

“Yuuri? So your name is Yuuri! What a coincidence,” Victor said excitedly.

The younger man’s cheek reddened beautifully when he met Victor’s striking blue eyes. 

Yuuri had piqued Victor’s interest when Victor saw him sit Yuri down for a proper meal. He had been very clearly protective when a “stranger” had walked in. Not to mention he had spoken with such an incredibly patient, gentle voice to his son...

Yuri was a rebellious kid. He rarely listened to people, let alone clung to them like this. Even Viktor didn’t get this kind of special treatment, and okay, that made him a little sad, but that wasn’t the point. Sometimes the boy still listened to Victor, but he certainly never behaved this sweetly to him. He wondered what Yuuri had done to make Yuri so… Docile. 

Yuuri was nervous, but he found it in himself to respond, “I-I’m sorry for not introducing myself first! My name is Katsuki Yuuri, Yurio’s teacher here. I-I was asked to wait with Yurio until his parents could come to pick him up. It’s- uh- nice to meet you, sir!” he bowed down as low as he could with a child in his arms.

Victor laughed. It was too easy to see how nervous and flustered Yuuri was. How adorable. He looked so young and cute, Victor never would have guessed that this was his son’s teacher. 

“Please, just call me Viktor.” He moved his finger to Yuuri’s chin, tilting his face up. He admired how smooth Yuuri’s skin was and how pretty the face behind the glasses was proving to be. 

“Thank you for taking care of my son. I know he can be a bit difficult, but he isn’t a bad kid.”

The sudden closeness made Yuuri freeze on spot, speechless. Viktor’s hand trailed slowly from the base of his chin, and went up and up and-

Before Viktor could go any further, Yuuri stepped back with a vibrant blush. That was too overwhelming. Maybe foreigners just really didn’t have any sense of personal space… 

Viktor could only grin at Yuuri’s reaction. Tilting his head, he asked, “You look so young, Yuuri… How old are you?” 

Yuuri twitched a little upon hearing that. He had already been asked that same question by so many parents, and some of them didn’t take him seriously because of his age.

Hasetsu International didn’t have too many difficult requirements. To work there, one had to have fluency in English, at least one year of work experience, and no criminal record. The minimum education requirement was a high school degree. Yuuri fulfilled all of those requirements, and he needed the job. He didn’t want his parents to have to pay for his education anymore because it never came cheap.

Yuuri bit his lower lip, hesitant to answer, “…I’m turning 19 this year.”

Viktor put his hand over his mouth, “Wow, so young!” he took a step closer to Yuuri, but then Yuuri took another step back.

“I-I’m sorry that I’m young... But I’ve fulfilled the requirements for working here. I may be young and I may seem inexperienced, but I do have three years of experience working with children.”

Yuuri looked up from behind his bangs and wondered if he had come off as rude or if Viktor was about to start yelling at him like some of the other parents.

He flinched when Viktor merrily clapped his hands with a warm smile, “No wonder you’re so good at what you do! I mean, not even the most expensive and well reputed babysitters could handle Yurio!” 

Yuuri was surprised to hear that. It was the first time a parent had ever praised him. Most tended to look down on him after hearing his age and then only looked down on him a little bit less when he gained their children’s respect. 

Viktor grabbed Yuuri by the shoulder with a serious look.

"It’s late, Yuuri. My next project will have me working even later, and I don’t feel right about making you wait here alone with Yurio all the time.” Viktor smiled at the thought of how happy Yurio would be about his next words. “I’m sorry to ask this of you, but could you please take Yurio to my house and look after him until I come home? Or least until he falls asleep. I’ll pay you as his temporary caretaker.”

Yuuri stayed silent as his brain took a moment to process. Was Viktor really offering him a job? A job that would involve Yuuri being at his house, no less? Yuuri rubbed his forehead, in disbelief... Viktor seemed serious though. Not to mention he needed some extra cash to move closer to the school...

“I’m sorry it’s sudden, but I really need your help. It’s just until I can find another babysitter for Yurio. So please? I don’t know who else to turn to.”

Yuuri saw the desperation in the man’s eyes. Viktor already had so much to deal with, and he was fairly young too, only 23. Why did he adopt a child if he was too busy to take care of Yuri? Yuuri sighed, closing his eyes. 

‘It’s really only temporary, right?’ 

Yuuri breathed out but gave a soothing smile nonetheless. “If it’s only temporary then I don’t mind. Besides…” he shifted Yurio in his arms, “It’s still my responsibility to make sure my students grow up happy and healthy.”

The look on both Viktor and Yuri’s faces were priceless. Suddenly the boy hugged him so tightly that he almost choked.

Just as Yuuri was about to convince Yurio to let him go, two big warm arms surrounded him in a huge bear hug. Yuuri panicked a little. Viktor Nikiforov is hugging him! Never in his wildest dreams would Yuuri have imagined Viktor Nikiforov hugging him! (Though then again Viktor Nikiforov asking him to be his son’s caretaker wasn’t exactly something he would have ever imagined happening either).

“Thank you Yuuri!! Thank you so much! Now I can rest easy at work!” Viktor pressed his face against the side of Yuuri’s while the other side was occupied by little Yuri, who glared at Viktor menacingly.

Yurio flailed his arms, smacking away Victor’s hands. He felt overcrowded, stifled, and for whatever reason simply hated the idea of Viktor’s arms around his sensei. 

“Go away! It’s crowded! Hot!” Yurio screamed at Viktor, who looked hurt. The man was slowly and reluctantly withdrawing his arms when he caught Yuuri’s scent. He was very nearly tempted to lean in and savor it again. Why did Yurio have to be so evil? Viktor cried a little inside. 

The older man rubbed his temple gently, shaking away inappropriate thoughts. He shoved his other hand into his wallet, searching for the key to the penthouse that his previous caretaker had left behind. When he found the gold colored card, he held it out to Yuuri, who eyed him questioningly.

“Um… What’s this?”

Viktor looked at him as if he had grown two heads. Yuuri stayed silent, nervously looking at his feet.

The taller man gave a charming smile that made Yuuri blush even more. His embarrassment wasn’t helped when Viktor took Yuuri’s free hand and slipped the card into his palm. 

“This is the key to our humble home. There’s an address on the card, and Yurio can tell you which floor we live on.” Viktor gently closed his hands around Yuuri’s. “Please keep it and don’t lose it. I’ve had to get several new keys because of how many times I’ve lost them. Card keys are troublesome, aren’t they?”

Viktor gave him an innocent, carefree smile that Yuuri nervously tried to return. He’d actually never lost a key card from any hotel he’d ever stayed at. Maybe it was just Viktor’s infamous forgetfulness.

“You’ll start to coming tomorrow, won’t you?”

Suddenly Yurio hit Yuuri’s chest and made him flinch, “Sensei is coming over tomorrow?? Really?!” the boy sounded so excited and Yuuri couldn’t help but chuckle warmly at the boy’s reaction. 

“I’ll get permission from the headmaster first,” he said, patting Yurio’s head.

“Yakov, right? I can call him and explain things. He knows about our, ah... Situation." 

Yuuri gave him a surprised look in response. “Y-you know the principal?”

“Yep! He’s actually the one who offered to enroll Yurio at this school.” Viktor tapped his lips, “Hasetsu is a small, peaceful town. The environment is great, the food tastes wonderful, and…” he tilted Yuuri’s chin up. “The beauty of its people is mesmerizing.” 

Was Viktor always this flirty? Or was he seriously complimenting him? 

He shook his head furiously. No way. That was just how Viktor was. It wasn't like Yuuri was special or anything. He was just a plain kindergarten teacher who happened to be his kid’s teacher and future temporary caretaker. 

But Yuuri was quite surprised. He would've pegged Viktor as a city kind of person who loved busy streets and high fashion. 

Taking a step back, Yuuri gave the man a warm smile, “So then, see you tomorrow, I guess?”

Viktor smiled excitedly back to him, but as he approached Yuuri for a hug of gratitude, Yurio glared at him as if silently saying ‘back off.’

Viktor halted his movements, obediently taking Yurio from Yuuri’s arms instead. He didn't get another chance to feel the young man's soft skin, which made him pout at Yuri. He caught Yuuri’s gentle scent as he transferred Yurio moved to him, but was then slightly disappointed by Yuuri backing away almost instantly after Yurio was in Viktor's arms. 

“Bye Yurio, be a good boy to your father, okay?” 

Yurio waved his tiny hand. “See you tomorrow, Yuuri-sensei.” The boy almost looked sad...

The boy was such a tsundere. It was adorable. Yuuri waved back, smiling gently.

Viktor pulled up his mask and sunglasses and took Yurio’s bag before pushing the glass door open with a sad face. 

“Be careful both of you, and have a nice evening!” Yuuri waved to the both of them.

Viktor continued to back look wistfully at Yuuri, who had turned his back to do some last minute cleaning before heading home. 

“Come on, Georgi's in the car.” Yurio tugged his sleeve and gestured at the vehicle outside. 

Viktor moved to his car, opening the car door gently. 'I just hope I'm not troubling him much... I feel a bit guilty, but I want to see him again.' The man sighed and sniffed at Yurio, who still had traces of Yuuri's scent clinging to him. 

“I’m so jealous of you, Yurio!” he rubbed his face all over his adopted son, who slapped him away angrily. The little boy was feeling a bit disturbed by Viktor’s actions, not to mention fed up with his wailing and whining. This was why he preferred Yuuri over Viktor. 

“Yurio! I have modeling job tomorrow, please don’t slap me!” Viktor patted his cheeks and wondered if Lillia would be mad at him.

Georgi gave him smirk from the mirror. “You just have to stop doing that. You know it annoys him."

Viktor pouted at Yurio, and gave Georgi cold glare. 

“Georgi, drive.”

The man huffed silently, “Right away, Boss.”

Viktor fell silent during the ride, making Georgi and Yuri feel uneasy. Usually the man would nag his kid and ask about his day and blab around his job. But tonight he was unusually quiet.

Little did they know that his mind was still occupied with Yuuri. He'd felt a strange pull when he met Yurio's teacher. He couldn't wait to come home to see Yuuri there with his adopted son. 

He couldn't wait for tomorrow.

Viktor smiled absentmindedly as Yurio looked at him questioningly. 

"Stupid papa."


	2. Second Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the late update >_< I've been in hospital for 4 days because of my condition, but well I had to update at least. I planned to update every sunday. I'll try to write faster and so sorry this chapter is quite short I'll make up for the next one :') as always no beta. My english is sucks ; ^ ;
> 
> I HAVE BETA she is @Ninjassasin8 XD and this is the beta'ed version. We hope you enjoy this chapter thank you ^^

"So you accepted a job as the kid's caretaker??”

Yuuri nodded nervously. “Y-yes, and that’s why I can’t come to practice for a while...”

Minako frowned, wondering why a drop dead gorgeous man like Viktor would choose her student to be his kid’s caretaker. “What's he trying to accomplish by asking you to be his kid’s caretaker? Is this some kind a test to find the perfect wife or something??" 

Yuuri blushed bright red before waving his hands wildly. “N-no way, It’s nothing like that! I think he just really wanted help... He looked really desperate…” 

The older woman sighed before smiling cheekily. “Well, do you think you could get his autograph for me? He's super popular but impossible to catch. You’re so lucky, Yuuri.” She wanted to tease her shy student, but at the same time was curious about Viktor’s adopted son.

“What's his kid like?"

Yuuri chuckled upon realizing Minako's true intentions. “Yurio is quite the handful, but he's also pretty adorable. He's not very good with new people, and most of the students are scared of him, but really it just takes time to get close to him..."

Minako nodded her head in understanding. Somehow she could imagine that, a delinquent kind of kid with a punk attitude and animal print clothes to match. But if the kid was so troublesome that he had already driven away countless caretakers before, then she wondered how Yuuri could handle such a temperamental kid. Yuuri was never good under pressure... Her train of thought was suddenly stopped when she saw her student's smile. His genuine, innocent smile.

Yuuri smiled, remembering cute little things that Yurio did sometimes. “He really is cute, but he doesn’t like people calling him that, so he comes off as rude and unfriendly. He's always yelling at the other kids, but I can tell that he's really just a little softie." 

“Well then, I think I know why Viktor asked you to be his kid’s caretaker. It's hard to look past a person's exterior, especially when the person's young and difficult. You're something else, Yuuri."

Yuuri tilted his head, unsure of what his sensei was trying to say.

“Uh… I'm not really sure what you mean? I think he was just really desperate for some help...” Yuuri scratched his head sheepishly. After all, Viktor said that he'd be back late tomorrow, and no responsible adult would allow their child to be anywhere but home past 11pm. Finding new caretakers wasn't easy, and judging by Yurio’s personality, he probably wouldn't leave the school with anyone but his father or someone he already knew well. Yuuri was simply at the right place plus at the right time, and that was it. 

Minako gave him smirk. She knew all about Yuuri's long standing crush on Viktor Nikiforov. He even had his posters plastered all over his room. Now her cute little fanboy of a student was looking after the man's kid in his own home. 'My little Yuuri's grown up... It almost makes me wanna cry.' Minako wiped imaginary tears from her eyes, nodding proudly.

‘This is going to be interesting.’

Meanwhile, Yuuri still wasn't completely convinced that this was actually happening to him... He was still considering that maybe Viktor had been joking. But then again, he HAD given Yuuri a key to his ‘humble home,’ and both the father and son looked genuinely happy when he had said yes.

His confidence was constantly wavering. He was new to this job, and couldn't help but doubt himself often. Had he really made the right choice? Maybe he should've declined and recommended someone else? Sometimes he really hated how negative he was... Minako patted his back and smiled widely to cheer him up like she always did. He looked up to smile back and caught sight of the clock on the wall. 

He had only wanted to drop by Minako’s place to tell her that he couldn't come to practice for a while until Victor had found a new babysitter, but the conversation had carried on for longer than he intended. 

He excused himself and waved a good bye at Minako before heading home. 

It was almost 11 o’clock. Yuuri had stayed for an hour or so to clean up the daycare center, only to found that it was already later than he'd thought. He'd had to debate whether or not it would be worth it to run to Minako's bar. 

Yuuri had to prepare for tomorrow, and if by chance he met Viktor, he would have to find the courage to ask for an autograph for Minako. Yuuri sighed gently before sliding open the door to his home, the only onsen place left in Hasetsu. 

Yuuri quickly took a soak in the bath house, enjoying his family’s onsen until his body was free of fatigue, then dried himself off and got dressed for bed, flopping onto his mattress as soon as he reached his room. It wasn't long before he dozed off to sleep with a tired mind full of worry. 

That night he dreamt about his family, his students, and a certain Russian with beautiful eyes. 

...

It was lunch time, and Yuuri had just helped Guang Hong clean up some milk after he'd spilled it all over his pants. The boy practically had panic attack, crying loudly and apologizing repeatedly even as Yuuri tried to calm him down. 

Leo heard the cries and came running to Guang Hong's side. Yuuri thanked the heavens for Leo’s help as the Chinese student's cries slowly turned to small sobs. Leo pulled his earbuds out and offered one to his friend before pressing play on his music app. He talked to his best friend gently, soothing him with a calm voice. His bright and cheerful personality successfully distracted his friend from the mess he'd made. 

After Yuuri made sure Guang Hong had relaxed and stopped crying, he exited the classroom and quickly headed to his locker for his extra pants. His apron had been completely soaked through, but luckily he still had extra apron and a spare pair of pants that he wore when he had practice at Minako’s place.

Working with children generally warranted a few extra pairs of clothing anyway, since little accidents like this happened regularly. Last time it was Sara who had accidentally made him fall onto a muddy, wet flower pad. She had come running to him because some boys were teasing her with a snail they had found nearby, and Michele was nowhere to be seen. She came running to Yuuri for protection and hit him full force, causing him to fall into the wet dirt. 

He scolded the boys afterward, and Sara had cried apologetically as Michele patted her head soothingly. He gave the boys nasty looks the whole time, but he showed gratitude to Yuuri for taking care of his sister's bullies while he wasn't there. He was a responsible brother who wouldn't stay quiet after seeing his sister cry. It made Yuuri worry that he would do something to the kids who teased his sister. He was only five years old and still cute, affectionate, and supposedly pure… Yuuri put his forehead in his palm, suddenly feeling unwell.

Yuuri was in the middle of fixing his pants when he heard someone open the door. Yuuri saw Chris standing there, looking surprised. He quickly pulled up his pants, feeling embarrassed.

“Yuuri? What happened?” the man slowly walked towards him, curious about the soaked pants and apron on the bench next to the lockers. Yuuri quickly shoved his ruined clothes into a bag and shoved them into his locker. 

Yuuri turned to face Chris, scratching his cheek nervously, “Uh, one of my students spilled milk on my pants."

Chris leaned against one of the lockers with a lazy stare. His eyes roamed the length of Yuuri's smaller frame in lusty admiration. The younger teacher squeaked when he felt a hand touch his butt. Chris smiled and squeezed a bit before Yuuri realized what was happening and jumped away. 

“C-Chris-senpai!” Pink tinted Yuuri’s cheeks and panic showed on his face. 

Chris hummed lightly before smiling at Yuuri’s cute, flustered reaction. “Those pants add charm to your best assets, Yuuri. They’re so soft and sexy, I just had to take a squeeze.” He smiled as his colleague blushed hard and trembled ever so slightly. 

“U-um... I-I have to go back to class, haha… so, e-excuse me…”

Yuuri exited the room and closed the door quickly, but not quickly enough to avoid hearing Chris added in louder, more playful tone, “But mine are still better~ I'm looking forward to feeling yours when they're ripe~”

Yuuri ran back to his classroom with a red face. He knew that Chris loved to flirt around, harassing younger workers (him). Yuuri’s heart thumped incredibly fast as he made his way back to his students and felt just the slightest bit unsafe in the hallways. He was a late bloomer, though there were actually several girls and even boys who were interested in him. Yuuri was just really shy and tended to hide before they could get too close to him. 

When someone came on to him as boldly as Chris… He had a hard time fighting back, usually too overwhelmed to do anything but run away. Yuuri slowed his steps as he saw a small, familiar looking boy standing at the class’s door, looking around until he spotted Yuuri.

The boy looked sideways, blushing a bit when he saw him. “N-no running in the hallway, sensei.”

Yuuri was taken aback for a moment before chuckling at the boy’s expression. Yurio looked at him confusedly before pouting. “What are you laughing at?! It's not funny!”

“I’m sorry, Yurio." Yuuri stopped beside him, somehow feeling more relaxed now. “What are you doing here? Have you finished your lunch?” Had he been waiting for him? 

Yurio refused to meet his eyes, still blushing. “I wasn't waiting for sensei or anything, I just wanted to stand here. I’ve already finished my lunch.”

Yuuri had to hold back a laugh, since he knew Yurio never stepped out of the classroom unless he had to use the bathroom. “Good Yurio, I’m proud of you. Now let’s go back inside.”

Yurio clutched at Yuuri's pants. “I didn't like my food that much. It wasn't as good as the food you made yesterday." 

Yuuri paused, unsure if he had heard correctly. “You liked the katsudon?”

Yurio shyly nodded.

Yuuri smiled sheepishly, somewhat happy because there was someone else who liked his favorite food. “I can make it again if we can stop by the supermarket later.”

The boy beamed excitedly, though he killed the expression as soon as he realized he was making it. Yuuri chuckled even as the child answered, “Okay, let's go after school." 

Yurio walked back into the classroom, trying to keep his cool but failing to avoid looking like he had won something amazing. Yuuri couldn't help but smile. Yurio could be scary and intimidating, but he was still clearly a child at heart. Yuuri fixed his shirt and his spare apron before heading inside to start the next lesson. 

...

Later that afternoon, Yakov asked him to come by his office after Viktor had called to ‘borrow’ Yuuri until he found new babysitter for Yurio.

“In truth, I didn’t want to let him borrow a member of my staff, but he sounded pretty desperate last night." Yakov rubbed his temple, sighing heavily in his chair. Groaning quietly, he added, “but it seems only you can deal with that troublesome child. I give you permission to help out as a caretaker, though I doubt he will found anyone more capable than you in near future."

Yuuri bowed slightly, unsure of how to respond. He was happy that the man recognized his skill despite his lack of experience as teacher, but he rarely praised anyone... 

On a slightly different note, Yuuri couldn't help but wonder what kind of relationship Viktor and Yakov had. Viktor had the headmaster’s phone number and just called him last night like they were old friends… He shook his head. It wasn't good to nose around other people's business. 

He decided to answer with a simple "thank you, sir, I'll do my best," before nodding a goodbye and moving to exit the room. Just as he touched the handle of the door, Yakov spoke up one more time. 

“Yuuri, please be careful around Viktor. Don’t let any strangers know he's here. I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to you."

Yuuri halted his movements. What did Yakov mean by that...? His expression must have conveyed his alarm/confusion because Yakov took one look at him and clarified, “the media is quite a force to be reckoned with." 

A bit of color drained from Yuuri's face. He didn't like the sound of that. He didn’t like people crowding around him. Yuuri didn’t mind kids, but it was different with adults.

Yakov continued, “He agreed to live here because Hasetsu is a small town where he has a better chance of staying unnoticed. No one knows that he’s here except for a few people from the agency and his son's ex-caretakers, who he's paid a large sum of money to keep quiet. If any journalists or reporters knew where Viktor lived or where his son went to school, neither of them would be left alone." 

Yuuri nodded upon hearing that. “It was a good decision.”

Yakov look a bit worried, “But we don’t know what will happen in the future, so it's better be careful and cautious of your surroundings. You never know who might be listening.” Yakov sighed a little and looked at Yuuri seriously. “Just don’t betray his trust." 

Yuuri held his breath, tightening his fist subconsciously. “Of course. I'd never even consider it." 

Hearing Yuuri’s determined voice, Yakov gave a small smile that made Yuuri blink several times. 

“Thank you, Yuuri.”

Yuuri closed the door silently. Yakov rarely smiled.

The school was quiet as he walked down the hall. Yuuri exhaled silently, shielding his eyes from the rays of sun that came from behind the windows. 

It was going to be sunny all day.

...

It was three in the afternoon when Yuuri and Yurio left for the supermarket. Yuuri still had some ingredients leftover from the daycare center, so he picked them up first before leaving with Yurio. 

“The fridge is always empty after the babysitter quits, so we eat the take out that papa buys. I don't really like it though. Papa likes weird food.” Yurio made a disgusted face upon recalling the food Viktor bought home a few days earlier. “One time he got this octopus thing that was still moving around! And he just dipped it in sake and ate it like that!" the boy shivered in repulsion when he remembered how Viktor smiled and ate with a happy “vkusno!” regardless of how raw or disgusting the food was. 

Yuuri chuckled upon hearing that. Yurio was usually pretty quiet at school, so this was Yuuri's first time hearing him talk like this. 

“Papa always holds my hand or carries me around. But my caretakers never do that. I didn't really like any of them.” Yuuri stopped in his tracks. Yuri stopped too but didn't stop talking.

“The food they made was okay, but sometimes it was hard to chew. Yours was just right.”

Yuuri looked at him uncertainly. Crouching down, he asked, “... Yurio, Do you hate me?”

The blond boy looked surprised, “W-what?! What makes you think that?!” Flustered and surprised, Yurio was adamantly looking anywhere but at Yuuri. 

"Um, you said you didn’t like your caretakers because they didn’t carry you or hold your hand like your papa. I didn't-" 

“N-No! I don’t hate you! Moron!!” He turned away and ran ahead down the street. 

Yuuri is panicked a little at how quickly the boy was disappearing down the sidewalk. Yurio wasn't stopping, and that was not a good sign. What if a car coming and they didn't see Yurio there?!

“No! Yurio!! Please don’t run, I-" What would make him stop running? 

“I-I don't know where your house is! I’ll get lost and we won't be able to have katsudon!" 

The boy stopped in his tracks, looking back at Yuuri. Sighing in relief, Yuuri ran to catch up to him. 

“Yurio, please don’t do that again, I think I just lost a few years of my life...” Yuuri panted a bit to catch his breath. Yurio's legs might've been short, but he was very fast. How on earth had he never managed to catch J.J?

Yuuri put down the groceries for a minute and crouched down to pick Yurio up. The boy instantly clasped his arms around Yuuri's neck. Yuuri stood up with a sweet but moody child in one arm and a row of groceries on the other. Suddenly Yurio sighed.

“I won’t hate you even if you don't hold my hand or carry me like papa,” he said, clutching the back of Yuuri's sweater. “You have groceries. Isn't it harder to carry them now?" 

Yuuri couldn't see Yurio's expression but still couldn't help but feel touched. He always acted like he didn't care, but that clearly wasn't the case. The boy would never admit it, but Yurio was a real sweetheart. 

Yuuri smiled warmly. “Don’t worry, I can handle it. Now, do you think you could show me where your building is? I think it's around here somewhere." 

The boy looked around, shifting in Yuuri’s arms. After a moment of looking around, he pointed to one of the buildings. The biggest one. Why isn’t Yuuri surprised? That was one of the most secure, highest quality living spaces in Hasetsu, and of course the priciest one. 

Yuuri stepped into the building and walked into the elevator. He lifted Yurio up to push the button for the floor number because he had no idea which floor he lived on, and the elevator chimed when it reached 7th floor.

After leaving the elevator and walking onto the floor, Yuuri stopped in front of the door with the same number as the key card. He swiped it on the door's lock, and then there was a click, indicating that the door had been unlocked. They both stepped inside and left their shoes in front of the door before walking any further into the house. Yuuri had to stop to take in the sight. 

The living room was big and spacious. A lamp with pretty designs sat on a small table, and even the glass windows were clearly stylish. The place would've certainly been much more than "humble"… if it hadn't been covered in trash and dirty clothes. It was like an earthquake and a hurricane had decided to condemn the place. 

This would take some time to fix...

Yurio skipped over an old pizza box to get back to Yuuri. His backpack wasn't with him so he must've gone to put it in his room. Seeing his sensei's frozen look of shock, Yurio tugged at his pants questioningly. Suddenly Yuuri snapped out of his trance and looked at him seriously. It was a little scary. 

“Yurio, please show me where the cleaning supplies are. I’ve got work to do."

Yurio trembled a bit. He had never seen Yuuri like this before. The five year old quickly did as he was told and showed him the shelves where his former caretakers had dumped the cleaning supplies. Yuuri grabbed them and got to work. 

Yuuri spent the next hour collecting old laundry off the floor and from odd places throughout the house. He scolded Yurio when he found his clothes in one of the cupboards and behind the practically dead potted plants. He picked out the expensive looking clothes to bring to a dry cleaner later and tossed everything else in the washing machine. 

When he saw the bathroom, Yuuri almost screamed. How could anyone even consider bathing or using the bathroom in a place this filthy?! Did Viktor not at least have a housekeeper or something?? He was an actor and a model that people worshipped like a God, and yet he lived in conditions like these?? Yuuri was pretty sure he just saw a cockroach skitter into the bathtub too. How did those things even get onto the 7th floor of a building?! Killing the critters and wiping down the bathroom until it was close enough to its original color took another hour and a half or so. He saw Yurio peek in from behind the door and couldn't help but ask, “Yurio, how long has it been since your last caretaker quit? Two, three months?" 

Yuuri saw Yurio look awkwardly at the ground, unsure of whether he should answer or not. "Um, a week and a half?" 

Yuuri just about lost his mind. 

...

The black haired man slumped down into one of the couches with a sigh. He had mistaken it for an unusually large pile of clothes earlier, but it was in fact a very, very comfortable couch. He was tired and sweaty, but at least he could breathe now. Yuuri closed his eyes and put down his glasses. It was almost dinner time. He had fed Yurio a snack to quell his hunger while Yuuri had been cleaning, but that had been an hour ago, so he really needed to get started on some real food… And maybe borrow the bath later since he couldn't stand being this sweaty and gross. 

Suddenly he heard a rustling sound beside him, so Yuuri opened his eyes to find Yurio sitting there and looking at him. He hadn't seen him since Yurio walked away from the bathroom. 

The blond boy didn't say a word and simply stared until Yuuri felt awkward enough to ask, “um... Is something wrong, Yurio?”

The boy blushed and turned away. “N-nothing! It’s just… you look really different without glasses."

Yuuri laughed nervously, “Ah, am I really that different? Haha…” he grabbed his glasses and put them on again. Yurio peeked out from behind his bangs, wondering why his sensei looked so uneasy.

Yuuri fixed his clothes and slowly walked to the kitchen. Luckily the kitchen had been one of the cleaner areas of the house, albeit a little dusty. He had cleaned it properly like he'd cleaned the rest of the house. He opened the fridge, surprised with the amount of food in it. There were even two gallons of milk. He searched the cabinets as well and found several huge boxes of cereal inside. 

Well, at least he knew now what they ate for breakfast. Yuuri cleaned his hands, assembled his ingredients, and began his work. The kitchen had a complete set of utensils, including many that he'd never seen before. He found the rice cooker in one of the cabinets and started pouring in rice and water. 

Roughly thirty minutes later, he had fried the meat and finished the sauce. He spooned a portion of rice and pork into three bowls and brought them to the table, covering Viktor’s portion with plastic wrap since he didn’t know when he would be back. Yurio was already sitting down in one of the chairs, obediently waiting with his tiger plushie in his arms. 

“Yurio, have you washed your hands?” 

“My hands are clean,” the boy responded stubbornly.

Yuuri turned around to collect some eating utensils from a drawer. “Yurio, the katsudon will run away if you don't wash your hands.”

Yurio blinked, looking at Yuuri with confusion. 

“Katsudon can run?”

Yuuri took a peek at Yurio's reaction from the corner of his eye, silently laughing. “Yes, it can! It's not just katsudon either. Most food will run away from dirty hands unless the food is especially weak." 

Yurio was beyond shocked. His head was clearly full of thoughts, even as Yuuri continued, “they can't stand being eaten by anyone who hasn't washed their hands."

There was a silence, and then Yurio bolted for the sink. He had to climb onto the stool that Viktor put there for him, but a minute later, his hands were clean. He walked back to his seat, warily staring at his bowl. 

Yuuri smiled at him. “If you've washed your hands then the katsudon won’t go anywhere.”

The boy still looked at his food cautiously, poking at the pork and eggs repeatedly to make sure it wasn't moving.

“Itadakimasu,” Yuuri said, sliding into his own seat. It was only then that Yurio deemed it safe to start gobbling down his food like a ferocious spoon-and-fork wielding predator. 

“Y-Yurio… Slow down!” Yuuri quickly grabbed some water and set it in front of the boy. Just in case something happened.

Yurio swallowed a big chunk of pork and answered, “but it's so good and I don't want it to run away!" 

Yuuri wiped the boy’s mouth with a napkin. “It won’t go anywhere because you washed your hands.” 

“But I don't wanna risk it! I don’t want it to sneak away just because I was too slow to eat it!" 

Yuuri laughed awkwardly, regretting his words. ‘Maybe I shouldn’t have said that in the first place...’

Yurio continued to eat with vigor, and Yuuri continued looking worriedly at him. It didn’t take long for him to finish his portion. Yuuri quickly cleaned up the table after both of them had finished. After that, Yurio followed him around the kitchen while Yuuri washed the dishes and continued to do so, even as Yuuri started walking towards the bathroom. 

He opened the bathroom door and looked back to find the boy STILL trailing behind him. 

“Uh… Yurio, I'd like to take a bath, so do you think you could play with your tiger in the living room...? I promise I won’t be long.”

The boy gave him an annoyed look. “I wanna take bath too. I haven't taken one this day because my caretakers usually give me one." 

Yuuri surprised to hear that. “O-oh I’m sorry! I didn’t realize you can't take a bath by yourself yet… Let’s go?”

Yuuri opened the bathroom door awkwardly and Yurio stared at him sharply, somehow making Yuuri feel guilty, like he'd failed at something.

“Um... I'll give you a bath first and then I can go...?" 

“Papa always bathes with me. And you won't wear your glasses in the tub, right?" 

Yuuri could not be more confused. Unsure of what to say, he fell silent. Yurio seemed not to notice and began throwing his clothes off before heading over to the tub. Yuuri put his glasses away next to the sink and headed over as well. 

Yurio looked at him intently. “So sensei doesn't wear glasses in the tub.”

Yuuri scratched his cheek. “Well, they get foggy and I can't see through them..."

Yurio wanted to take bath with Yuuri so he that could have something to brag about to J.J. and Minami. He bet none of them would ever have this chance. He bet no one had ever seen Yuuri without glasses either. Yuuri-sensei would belong to him more than anyone else, and the thought made the boy smile proudly.

The blond boy moved to grab Yuuri’s hand, pulling him towards the tub. “Let’s take a bath together, Yuuri-sensei. That way we can save water."

Yuuri saw Yurio's determined look and reluctantly nodded. The five year old beamed with excitement as he crawled inside the tub.

“Okay then, just, uh, let me fill up the tub?” What harm could come from taking a bath with a child? It was pretty normal at the onsen. Maybe he would take Yurio there someday. He might like it since it was bigger and in open air.

Yurio tugged at Yuuri’s sleeve. “I wanna soak with sensei!” He was thrashing around now. Yuuri picked Yurio up and set him on the side of the bathtub before turning the faucet knobs. 

Yuuri quickly pulled off his clothes and found a small towel to wrap around his waist before he began to tend to Yurio. He cleaned his small student with warm water, putting shampoo to his hair and combing it with his fingers. Yurio looked relaxed as he enjoyed the feeling of Yuuri’s soft hands massaging his head with warm water. After he was done with Yurio, Yuuri chickened out of getting in the tub with him and went to clean himself up inside the shower stall while Yurio soaked quietly. The ravenette cleaned his hair with his usual shampoo and soap that he brought from home in a small travel pack. He couldn't help but notice that Yurio had been staring at him through the glass shower stall for a while now. 

Yuuri felt a little exposed. Even a five year old's eyes could be unnerving when you were naked. He quickly finished his shower and wrapped a towel around his waist.

That didn't stop Yurio's staring, and somehow Yuuri was even more uncomfortable now. “Yurio, are you done?”

“Yuuri-sensei is different from papa.”

Yuuri blinked, not expecting that, “Eh? O-of course we’re differe-“

“Sensei's all soft, while papa's all hard, and sensei's pee-pee is much smaller than papa's." 

Yuuri froze at that.

That hurt. He didn't realize that a five year old could crush a man's pride so easily. He was lean and a little curvy without being girly, but he still had some muscle thanks to his years of doing ballet. He knew that he was smaller than Viktor, but to have someone, especially a five year old, tell him so bluntly was like a shot through the heart.

Yuuri felt the urge to cry but stopped himself when Yurio spoke again. “But I prefer sensei.” Then Yurio... Smiled. Innocently, not smugly or condescendingly. Yuuri wished he had a camera. 

“Sensei is always with me, but Papa's always busy. Sometimes I don't see him for a month. But if I want to see how he's doing, I just turn on the TV and he's there. It's annoying."

Yuuri stayed silent upon hearing that. Yurio sounded so lonely. “Don’t you miss him, Yurio?” Yuuri moved closer to the tub with a bigger towel to dry the child.

Yurio looked down and stared at the water. “… I don’t know. He’s literally everywhere and he sends tons of texts and videos, so it's hard to miss him." 

Yuuri laughed awkwardly. “That's good then, probably. He worries about you at work, you know." 

There was a pause, and then Yurio looked up with a determined glint in his eye. “Forget that, you should come in and soak with me. Here, I'll move-" 

Yuuri put up his hands. “Ah, no, I’m okay! I’m already done! Let’s get out of the tub, Yurio, you’ll get dizzy if you stay in for too long.”

Yurio gave him disappointed look but eventually nodded because he was indeed feeling a little dizzy. He was definitely going to get Yuuri-sensei to bathe with him next time though. Yuuri toweled him dry and draped the towel over him when he was done. He then stepped next door to grab a pair of pajamas from Yurio's room. He shivered a bit at the cold air and wished he had something more than a towel around his waist to keep him warm, or at least had dried himself off properly before. Yuuri half ran back to the bathroom but didn’t find Yurio there.

“Yurio? Yurio, where are you?” He worried that the boy would catch a cold if he was running around without any clothes. With Yurio's clothes in hand, he looked around and saw Yurio at the end of the hallway that led to the main living area. Though his back was turned to him, Yuuri could see that Yurio was holding his glasses. 

"Um, Yurio? What are you doing over there with my glasses...?" 

Yurio jumped at the sudden sound of Yuuri's voice and started running. 

Yuuri couldn't see clearly enough ahead of him to know what kind of expression Yurio had on, but what WAS clear to him was that Yurio's figure was quickly disappearing. “Y-Yurio! You’ll catch a cold like that, please don’t run!”

Without really understanding what was happening, Yuuri chased after Yurio's towel covered form.

“Yurio, at least put on your clothes, please!"

Yurio didn't listen and kept running until he was in front of the front door. 

"Yurio! Please don't go out!” Yuuri was panicking and didn't know how to stop the five year old from running away. Heck, he still didn't understand why he was running in the first place. 

Suddenly he slipped in a small puddle that had formed and some point and landed on his butt. 

“Yuuri-sensei!!” he heard Yurio shout from somewhere in front of him. 

Yuuri groaned in pain as he heard the sound of a door opening and then a voice that was definitely not Yurio's. 

“Yurio, what are you doing there?”

Wait. Yuuri froze when he recognized that voice.

Oh no no no no. 

“Why are you holding Yuuri’s glasses…?" Yuuri was still sitting on the floor with both legs bent on either side, still in shock. He saw a blurry figure in a brown coat carry Yurio from the entrance. Yuuri was still unable to move. He heard the other man's gasp, but even without glasses, Yuuri still didn't have the courage to look at the man's face.

After a moment of silence, Yuuri quickly stood up, taking Yurio from Viktor’s arms before quickly running back to the bathroom and blushing madly. He STILL only had a towel around his hips. Also, he had just fallen on the ground in front of his idol, his employer, and his student's parent. 

If only he could have cracked his skull open and died when he fell, maybe he could've avoided this. 

"Yuuri-sensei… S-sorry.”

Yurio nuzzled his neck, almost crying with guilt. Yuuri patted his back soothingly and rocked him gently.

"You fell down because of me..."

"Shh... It's okay Yurio, I'm ok. Do you think you could put on your clothes for me now?" He dried the boy again (he was wet after Yuuri picked him up) and dressed him in the pajamas that he hadn't let go of since leaving Yurio's room. After that, Yuuri was able to dry himself off and get himself dressed with shaky hands. 

Yuuri wanted to cry, but he refrained from doing so with Yurio still in the room. He didn't realize Victor would be back this early.

'I am so getting fired for this,' he silently cried.


	3. That Moment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluff moment with potential rival for 23 years old father with grumpy son. Viktor look domestic here /sorry :')

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all thank you so much for @Ninjaassasin8 for beta this chapter!!! (HOW DO I MENTION SOMEONE HERE??) /I'm so happy *cry* 
> 
> The first and second chapter is still in process for beta and maybe will be out next week since both is about 11k words? ^^;  
> Thank you for your patience, help, support, kudos and comment, and of course @Ninjaassasin8 to be this story's beta!!! Okay I'll stop here. Please enjoy this chapter, thank you so much :'D

Viktor didn't expect to find Yuuri in this state. 

Lucky Victor. Poor victor. Yurio had his sensei all over him. Yuuri carried his kid half naked back to the bathroom.

If only Victor was also a five year old boy… Then he can take a bath with Yuuri too! How nice it would be to be the one Yuuri carried to the bathroom half naked...

Bad Victor. It wasn't right to think things like that. This was his son’s teacher. Even if said teacher was young and incredibly cute, it was still inappropriate. Unfortunately, those thoughts didn't keep him from remembering how he much wanted to touch that sparkling wet skin and feel just how smooth it was beneath his fingers. God he was jealous of Yurio. 

Victor set his bag on the table, whistling and looking around the house. He almost didn't recognize the place since he could see floor under his feet now. Victor knew how dirty the place was when he'd left that morning, so Yuuri must've done some cleaning before taking a bath. He would have to to thank Yuuri for doing such a marvelous job with the place... Now he just had to pick up Makkachin and introduce him to Yuuri. The man paused when he saw a bowl of food on the table, all wrapped up nice and clean. It still looked warm too. He couldn't help it when his stomach growled loudly.

“Itadakimasu~” 

It didn’t take very long for both Yuris to exit the bathroom. Yuuri looked gloomy and spiritless as Yurio trailed behind him. Suddenly they heard a loud “Vkusno!” from dinning room, along with the sound of dining utensils clanking noisily against a bowl. He peeked around the corner and found Victor scarfing down his food like Yurio.

Maybe Yurio had picked his dining habits from Victor? Or was it the other way around? Victor noticed Yuuri out of the corner of his eye standing with his son, who was standing in his favorite tiger kigurumi with a tail at Yuuri’s feet.

“Yuuri!” Victor waved his hands at him and Yurio grabbed Yuuri’s pants as if he was trying to pull him away from Victor, “What kind of food is this? Is this what gods eat?!” 

“D-do you like it?” 

Victor nodded enthusiastically and was still gobbling down his food. Yuuri had no words.

“It's perfect! I’m so glad I got to taste this! You’re amazing, Yuuri!”

Yuuri blushed upon hearing that. He didn’t expect the person he idolized to give him such a compliment. Yuuri moved closer and Yurio followed closely behind. 

“It's my favorite food, actually,” Yuuri said, scratching his cheek shyly.

“Really?? Tell me everything about you, Yuuri! I want to know you better,” Victor said excitedly.

“E-eh? What do you want to know?” He was so plain he couldn't think of any personal details that might actually interest Viktor.

“Where to begin...? Ah, do you have lover right now? Anyone you're interested in??”

Yuuri flailed his arms at the unexpected question. What did crushes and relationships have to do with looking after kids?!

“Uh... No comment!” his face was painted red, and he was desperately trying to look anywhere but at Victor. 

“Papa, where’s Makkachin? Did you pick him up yet?” Yurio walked over to Viktor in an attempt to divert his father’s interest from Yuuri.

“Makkachin is still at the pet care center. I’ll go after finishing this heavenly food.”

“Makkachin? Is that your…” 

“Our beloved dog. He’s downstairs spending some time at pet care center~ This place doesn’t allow pets to be without caretakers when the owner isn’t inside the house. So we keep them at the pet care center downstairs during the day and pick him up when we get home.”

Yuuri perked up. He might have the chance meet Viktor’s infamous poodle, who he didn’t know had been brought to Japan with Viktor! “I wouldn't mind picking him up for you from now on.” 

Hearing the excitement in Yuuri’s voice caught Viktor by surprise. “You’re good with dogs?”

“I- I have small poodle at home.”

“Wow! We have to let them meet sometime! Makkachin would be glad to have a friend.”

“Ah, thank you. But mine is kinda shy.” Yuuri smiled a little, suddenly missing his Vicchan. He hadn't been able to play with him as often recently.

“Makkachin is very friendly, I'm sure they’ll get along!” Viktor wiped the grains of rice from his cheek and proceeded to walk over to Yuuri. Yurio tugged at Viktor’s pants and kicked his legs when Viktor didn't stop. 

“Lets just go get Makkachin already, old man!”

Viktor turned to his son. “Old man?”. His eyes took on a watery look. “But I’m only 23, Yurio! Do I really look that old?! Is my hair getting that thin??”

Yurio puffed out his cheeks at him, “You said you’d be back late today, so how come you're here at nine o’clock?” 

Viktor scratched his cheek, idly wondering why his son was in such a sour mood. 

“Well, Lilia was unusually kind today, so we finished faster than I expected!” he laughed lightly and turned his gaze back at Yuuri. He stared for a moment.

“Do you want to come with me to pick up Makkachin?”

Yuuri turned red, nodding lightly, “Yes, I’ll go.”

Calm down Yuuri, it doesn't look like he intends to fire you. 

Yet. 

Suddenly Yurio buried his face in Yuuri’s thigh, snapping him back to reality. 

“If sensei is going then I’m going too.”

Yurio clenched his fists in Yuuri’s pants without any intention of letting go any time soon. 

"O-of course Yurio, I wouldn't leave you alone here. We’ll all go together.”

Viktor was beaming with excitement, unable to help but feel happy. “Don't we look like a family going to pick up their pet?”

Yurio ground his teeth at Viktor. “Shut up papa, Makkachin is waiting for us.”

Viktor turned to Yurio with tears eyes but the boy ignored him. Yuuri carried the little one in his arms, recoiling silently when Viktor gave him the puppy dog eyes. The ravenette only could laugh awkwardly, unsure of how to react to the father-son moment. Maybe he’d talk about it to Yurio later.

Viktor turned to the front door, holding it open so that Yuuri could pass through with Yurio. The younger man murmured a thank you in a small voice and Viktor answered with smile that made Yuuri blushed even harder. At the end of the hall, they saw a small boy, a little older than Yurio, waiting in front of the elevator alone. 

That floor only had 3 rooms. One on each side plus one at the end of the corridor, which was the biggest room where Viktor and Yurio resided. Yuuri remembered the boy as a student from the elementary school. He was the Otabek Altin, the third grader from Kazakhstan. He didn’t know that the boy lived on the same floor as Yurio.

“Good evening Otabek, what are you doing here at this time of night?”

The boy turned his head and saw Yuuri with Yurio looking at him with Viktor. The boy gave them an expressionless look and cleared his throat.

“I’m picking up my cat from pet care center.”

“Good then! We can go together!” Viktor said happily from the back. The young boy only stared at him silently.

“Why are you here Yuuri-sensei? I didn’t expect to see you here. Do you live here?” the boy asked curiously.

“A-ah, no, I’m just a temporary caretaker for Yurio until Viktor here can find a replacement.”

Yurio tightened his hands in Yuuri’s shirt and his expression hardened a little. He didn't want anyone but Yuuri-sensei.

Otabek looked at Yurio then at Yuuri, thinking for a second.

“Seems he doesn’t want anyone but you.”

Yurio snapped his head to Otabek, staring him down. The two glared at each other until the elevator arrived. Yuuri felt that something was going on between them but decided not to intervene and instead simply gave Otabek a smile.

They stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for ground floor, where the pet care center was. 

‘How did he know?’ Yurio thought to himself, nuzzling his face into Yuuri’s neck with an uneasy feeling.

“Um, Otabek, do you have any caretakers to pick you up after school?” Yuuri attempted to break the tension as he felt Yurio's unease. 

“I’m old enough to handle myself.”

Yuuri can’t be helped but stare worriedly at the young boy.

Upon seeing Yuuri’s concerned expression, he added, “Besides, there’s Mila from 2nd grade. She and I always go home together. We both live in this building.”

“That old hag,” Yurio muttered in a quiet but gruff voice. Yuuri wondered what kind of relationship they all had. 

“Yurio, it’s good you have so many friends in the building! You should play with them more!” Viktor exclaimed happily. He didn’t expect for there to be neighboring kids around Yurio’s age.

“Hmpf, Papa shouldn't talk when he doesn’t have any other friends besides Makkachin.” Viktor froze at that. It was like a sword had just struck through his heart. 

“Yes… But these days I’m so busy that I can't even talk to anyone besides Makkachin, Lilia, and maybe some of my colleagues! I haven't even had the time to drink and socialize since I have to come straight home after work..."

Viktor looked so hopeless and sad when he said that that Yuuri didn’t have the heart to leave the conversation there. “Um you can leave Yurio to me so that you can have some time to socialize after work? I really don't mind staying little later..."

The man turned to him, looking at him with disbelieving eyes. “Yuuri~ you’re so kind!” he managed to engulfed Yuuri in big bear hug before Yurio slapped him away. 

“But it’s okay, because I have something that makes me excited about coming home!” Viktor looked into his eyes with gaze full of… Adoration?

Yuuri shook his head, no no no. He refused to believe what he'd just seen for a second, and Yurio had already pushed Viktor away from them anyway. He was just imagining things. There was no way a man like Viktor would have looked at a person as plain as him with such interested, sparkly eyes.

“Papa, don’t hug Yuuri-sensei! I don’t like it! You can hug Makkachin later.”

Viktor’s eyes turned hard, but he managed to smile. It seemed that Yurio didn't like people touching his favorites. Wonder where he learned that from. Viktor grinned wider.

“Ssh, Yurio, it’s not good to talk to your father like that,” Yuuri tried to calm the boy down, making Viktor feel even more jealous.

“Yuuri, I wanna be a five year old too~”

“W-what? Why?”

Viktor tapped his lips, smiling. “I wonder why. I just want to cuddle with someone. I think I miss human warmth~”

Yuuri averted his eyes, his ears turning red despite his efforts to calm himself. Viktor moved closer, “Yuuri~ Do you think we-“

“HEY!” Yurio screamed suddenly. 

The two immediately returned their attention to the small blond boy. Viktor face palmed, another flirting attempt failed.

“Stop pulling my tail!”

Both Yuuri and Viktor’s eyes fell on Otabek, who had Yurio’s tiger tail in his hands. 

The boy squeezed it one last time before he let go. He stared at Yurio with unwavering look, unnerving the younger boy a little.

“W-what?!” Yurio spat at him. The other boy gave him slight smile and answered him calmly.

“It’s kinda cool.”

Yuuri saw Yurio turn red for a second before his expression became smug.

“Papa bought it for me because tigers are cool!”

“Wolves are cool too, and don’t forget lions.”

The smaller boy turned a sparkly eyed gaze at Otabek, nodding excitedly. They started to tale and eventually Yuuri had to put Yurio down so he could talk with the other boy more easily. 

Yuuri was happy because Yurio rarely spoke to other kids. He didn't have any friends at school because the other kids were scared of him. But Otabek was a calm, collected kid, which he'd never heard from Chris in the staff room. He wasn't afraid of the blond's rough words and delinquent behavior. In fact, Otabek himself looked like a bit of a punk with his slicked back hair and stoic face. He listened to their conversation, chuckling here and there. 

It was rare to see Yurio happy like this. Viktor wanted to move closer to them (and consequently closer to Yuuri) when suddenly the elevator chimed. Sighing heavily, Viktor picked Yurio up in his arms and walked out as Otabek and Yuuri followed behind him. They approached a place in the area next to the lobby. The words ‘Happy Pets’ were spelled out in large, bold letters. Yuuri looked up and came to an abrupt stop. 

Viktor had already opened the door and Otabek was already inside when Viktor noticed that Yuuri hadn't yet moved from his spot in front of the pet care center. 

“What’s wrong Yuuri?” Viktor and Yurio looked at him, confused. Yuuri shook his head, “Nothing! It’s okay! Nothing’s wrong.”

Yuuri stepped inside, and the bell chimed a second time as it closed behind him. A girl was already talking to Otabek. She’d gone for a second and then returned with a large, white Persian cat. Otabek petted his feline lovingly.

Yuuri’s heart beat faster as he remembered his old childhood crush. His first love ever. 

Viktor noticed Yuuri’s expression change when he saw the shop keeper.

“Welcome! How may I help you?” the girl chimed as she heard the other customers enter.

Yuuri smiled shyly, waving his hand, “It's been a while, Yuuko-san.”

The woman’s kind eyes widened in surprise, “Yuuri??”

The woman banged excitedly on her desk, “What was that!? Just call me Yuu-chan! It's been too long!"

She saw that Yuuri was standing beside Viktor and Yurio, who she knew to be the owners of Makkachin the poodle. They had been regular customers for quite some time.

“What are you doing here, Yuuri-kun?? Wait, hold it there! Let’s catch up later! I close at 10, we should meet at Minako-sensei’s bar!” Without even waiting for his response, she disappeared to the back for a while. Yuuri could feel Viktor and Yurio’s eyes on his back.

Suddenly he heard a loud bark. Without any further warning, a heavy brown creature jumped onto his chest and knocked him down before licking his face all over. 

“Makkachin! Oh my God! I’m so sorry Yuuri-kun!” Yuuko was still holding the leash in her hands, “He jumped out of the kennel before I could put him on a leash.”

Makkachin then padded over to Viktor to rub against his legs, and Viktor crouched down to hug him after setting Yurio down.

“I miss you too, Makkachin~”

After a few licks from Makkachin, Viktor smiled apologetically at Yuuri, “I’m sorry Yuuri, he’s always excited. It seems he likes you.” 

Makkachin gave Yurio a few enthusiastic lick, then turned back to Yuuri, sniffing him around. When the dog didn’t stop, he smiled awkwardly, “Maybe he can smell my dog on me.” Yuuri realized he was wearing the sweater that Vicchan liked to roll around in. 

“He’s a sweet dog, but he can be a naughty little guy sometimes. He tried to steal my steamed bun for lunch.” Yuuko smiled adoringly at the poodle. Viktor was still wondering what kind of relationship his new babysitter and his long time pet sitter had had. Meanwhile, Yurio now petting Otabek’s cat with sparkly eyes. He admired the creature single-mindedly as the adults were busy in their own world.

Yuuko gave Viktor the leash, and the man proceeded to the cash register to pay his monthly special care fee for Makkachin. He put the leash on Makkachin’s neck and then proceeded to exit the place. 

Yuuko winked at Yuuri before he stepped out of the store, carrying Yurio on his arms.

“See you later Yuuri! It was nice too see you again!” 

Yuuri blushed awkwardly then nodded, “See you later, Yuu-chan.”

Otabek was already in front of the elevator waiting them with his cat in his arms. Makkachin was pulling Viktor eagerly towards him. He sniffed Otabek’s cat curiously, but the cat hissed quietly, so Viktor tugged him back. Yuuri stepped in front of him with Yurio on his arms. 

The words were already out before Viktor could stop himself.

“So Yuuri, you know Yuuko-san? Are the two of you close?”

Yuuri flinched a bit but then nodded slightly. “We're childhood friends, so we're fairly close...”

Viktor turned a bit gloomier, but Yuuri was facing the inside of the elevator so that Yurio could stroke Otabek's cat and didn't see. 

“Is she your lover? Or did you have a crush to her?” he tried to make himself sound joking, but he stopped breathing when Yuuri looked back at him with vulnerable, faraway look. His eyes fluttered away shyly and he responded, “N-no comment…”

Viktor had to stop and stare because even just the side of Yuuri's face looked beautiful when he was this vulnerable and openly expressive. His heart couldn't seem to calm down, but he definitely sensed something between Yuuri and Yuuko. That wasn't any old "childhood friend" look. Maybe Yuuri really had had a crush on her.

First Yurio, now Yuuko, the competition didn't stop coming. Victor slumped a bit. After Yuuri left here, he would go meet with Yuuko. Viktor wanted to find an excuse to tag along, but he wasn't leaving Yurio at home alone. 

The elevator chimed again, and Otabek was the first to leave. The boy waved a goodbye at Yurio and bowed down at Viktor and Yuuri.

“Good evening, Yurio’s papa and Yuuri-sensei. See you tomorrow.” The boy then disappeared down the hallway and behind the door on the right side of the penthouse. Yurio waved back, making Yuuri smile.

Makkachin had to pull Viktor from the elevator when he didn't move from his spot. Yuuri looked at him questioningly, “Viktor, is something wrong?”

Viktor looked at him intently and then shook his head.

“Yuuri, you're coming again tomorrow, right?”

Yuuri tilted his head slightly. "Um… yes? Or did you have another plans? Because I understand if you don't need-"

“No, no, no! Please come, you have to come!”

Yuuri looked at him with wide eyes. "O-okay? I can pick up Makkachin too.”

The dog barked happily at him, but Viktor almost said that he didn’t have too. After all, if Yuuri went to pick up Makkachin then he would inevitably meet Yuuko again. 

“Do you want me to drop you off? It’s late and dangerous for you-“

“N-no, you don’t have too! I’m okay. Besides I’ll be meeting with Yuu-chan after this,” he said, scratching his cheek shyly.

Viktor swallowed the sudden lump in his throat. He looked happy to be seeing her.

“Yurio, are you sleepy?” Yuuri asked when realized that the blond boy has been a little too quiet. He was now resting his head on Yuuri’s shoulder, murmuring some incoherent answer in a sleepy noise.

Viktor swiped his card and held the door open until Makkachin and Yuuri were inside. Yuuri walked swiftly to Yurio’s room to tuck the boy into bed.

Viktor moved to the dining table and rinsed his dining utensils with dish washer. Then he slumped onto the sofa. As he wondered whether he should take a bath now or in the morning, Makkachin sat down on the sofa with him, sniffing around at the apartment's unfamiliar post-cleaning smell. Not too long after, Yuuri showed up from around the corner, carrying his duffel bag.

He was going to meet with that girl. After this. Viktor wanted to hold him here somehow, but it was already late and Yuuri had already refused his offer to drive him home. 

“Yurio is already asleep. So uh, I can go home now, right?”

No. You can’t.

“Yes, of course! Thank you so much for your help, Yuuri! I don’t know how I would've managed Yurio without you. You even cleaned the place up and cooked a delicious dinner!” Makkachin barked happily at him.

“N-no problem! I’m glad you like my work. I’ll continue to do my best!” He smiled happily with the knowledge that Viktor was pleased with what he had done. 

“So, see you tomorrow, I guess?” 

Suddenly Viktor remembered, “Oh wait! I haven’t paid you yet! Please wait here.” 

Viktor pulled out his wallet and shoved several Yukichis into Yuuri’s hand. Yuuri’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Vi-viktor! This is too much! I can’t accept this!” Yuuri shoved the money back to Viktor, overwhelmed as he had never received so much money for a job before. Or well, technically he had, but that hadn't really been money for him. 

“No, Yuuri, please take it, I insist. That’s a regular amount I pay for my caretakers for one day. Plus a small bonus for the exquisite meal,” he said, winking at Yuuri who was staring at him in disbelief. Well, he'd known Viktor was rich, and it wasn't unlikely that he paid his caretakers extra to make sure they kept quiet about where he lived. 

Yuuri didn't budge and again held out the money to Viktor. “No, I couldn't possibly accept this much! I'd keep quiet even if you didn’t pay me at all!”

Viktor’s heart was touched by the look of sincerity on the face of the young man before him. He was insistent, determined. How honest. And pure. He didn’t feel any of the fake façade that people usually presented to him. Viktor was too used to people hoping to use him for personal gain. With Yuuri, he didn’t sense any kind of malice or ulterior motive.

I want him.

A sudden emotion took over him. Viktor pulled Yuuri by the hand and rested his lips by the edge of his ear, whispering slowly with his deep sultry voice, “Take it or I might just have to kiss you.”

Yuuri practically jumped back a meter in the air, covering his red ear with his hand. He couldn't quite believe what had just happened.

Viktor managed to gave him coy smile to reduce the seriousness of the situation. Yuuri still looked a little scared.

“Please d-don’t do that again, Viktor, it’s not funny!” Yuuri hissed, a bit annoyed when Viktor's expressions didn't change from his usual playful smile. The man kept that look on his face, and somehow it further irritated Yuuri. 

“G-good night! See you tomorrow!” Yuuri was still hesitant to walk away with such a huge sum in his hands, but he decided to leave that as a problem for later. For now… He just had to be out of the apartment before Viktor could figure out how he felt. 

If he found out, he'd definitely be fired.

Viktor wouldn't trust him anymore. 

Yuuri ran out of the penthouse after a quick wave at Makkachin, who whined as Yuuri walked past him. After Yuuri closed the door, a certain Russian man groaned loudly into the sofa cushion, slumped like a useless rag doll.

Makkachin nuzzled face into Viktor's arm in an attempt to cheer him up. Viktor lifted his face to pat his dog and hugged him tightly. This was the standard procedure for whenever he messed up. 

“I’m so stupid.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yukichi = the man in 10.000 yen currency (You know what I mean T-T)


	4. Little Moment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The beta process is still in progress for chapter 1 & 2 it won't be out until next week I think :') 
> 
> This chapter has Pichit with his social media addiction lol
> 
> so here have a chapter 4. It has been beta'ed by Ninjassasin8 thank you so much for your help even in this holiday time :'D 
> 
> Have a happy holiday everyone X'D Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday Viktor!

Yuuri slipped several ten thousand yen bills behind Viktor’s dying potted plants. Well, not really dying anymore, since he had been able to save them before they’d withered completely. The plants had slowly regained life over time and were just about to blossom, much to Yuuri’s delight. He slipped more a few more bills under the plants’ pots.

Viktor didn’t know that Yuuri had been sneaking his money back into his house. Several times already, Yuuri had avoided Viktor before going home so that Viktor wouldn’t have the chance to pay him. Only to found out that Viktor doubled his pay every time Yuuri dodged him. At some point his parents had suspiciously asked him where he had gotten so much money after just one day. Worryingly, but not completely unsurprisingly, they were concerned that he had been involved in suspicious/illegal activities. Yuuri couldn’t exactly say that there was a famous movie star living in Hasetsu, especially since his parents tended to question his extra income when there happened to be guests around. 

He knew his parents were only worried about him, but he couldn’t betray Yakov and Viktor’s trust.

“Yuuri, last night grandpa Tetsu saw you with a foreigner... He said you were carrying a blond kid and the three of you are heading towards an expensive looking building…?”

Yuuri gulped upon hearing his mother’s suspicious tone.

“You didn’t do anything dangerous, did you?”

Yuuri shook his head. “No, mom! I’m helping a parent with a babysitting job… the Headmaster gave me permission.”

Hiroko squinted. “Why do you have to stay and help until late at night? Do you really just clean and take care of the child? And if the man that was with you is the man who hired you as a caretaker, then we need to meet him.”

“We?” Yuuri questioned. “N-no, you can’t! I’m okay mom, no need to be worried. He’s just my student’s parent! They just happen to be rich and happy with my work, so they pay me well! It’s nothing to be worried about!” Hiroko frowned at him. She could tell when her child was hiding something, and it made her worried.

“But the man sounds suspicious, Yuuri… He pays too much and he wears a surgical mask over half of his face with sunglasses at night! Grandpa Tetsu told us. Not to mention you don’t come home until almost one in the morning some days…”

Yuuri facepalmed. Of course Viktor would look suspicious. Yuuri himself thought so when he first met him… And he couldn’t really help coming home late. He was supposed to stay until Yurio fell asleep, that was the deal he had made with Viktor. A couple of months of working as Yurio’s caretaker made Yuuri wonder how Viktor could keep up with his busy schedule and still look after his adopted son. Viktor had repeatedly shown that he could leave for two day business trips and still manage to bounce back like a ball of sunshine. When Viktor couldn’t come home, Yuuri had to spend the night there, looking after Yurio like his previous caretakers. It had been four months since their first meeting in April, and the penthouse was almost like his second home as Viktor had yet to find a replacement for him.

At this rate, he was sure that the townspeople would start spreading rumors about him. It wouldn’t be good if someone decided to stop him while he was with Yurio or Viktor… He never wanted to risk exposing Viktor’s presence.

Speaking of Viktor’s presence, Viktor said he’d have to leave Hasetsu for a three day trip. His mother would definitely try to talk him out of babysitting over night for three days.

“Yuuri, I know you’re not a child anymore, but we’re worried about you,” she said, clearing the table.

“I’ll be okay, mom. I promise. Don’t forget, he’s one of my students, and I couldn’t possibly leave him alone in his home. He’s still only five years old and they don’t have anyone else who can look after him while his father’s away.”

Yuuri almost see his mother eyes shine with understanding. “So then why not bring him here for those three days? There’ll be a summer festival nearby and you can bring him along.”

Yuuri hadn’t thought of that before. Viktor and Yurio had actually asked him about local festivals before too... Honestly Viktor might want to go more than Yurio.

“I…I’ll ask his father. I don’t know he’ll agree to it or not though, since he’s fairly protective of his son.”

Hiroko smiled. “Well, you can bring his child here any time! It would be a pity for him to protest though, foreigners love our local festivals. Oh right! We have to pull out your yukata!” she exclaimed excitedly before opening their clothes storage closet. 

Yuuri sighed, knowing that Hiroko didn’t stop when she set her mind to something... With that being said, he wondered how he would present his mother's suggestion to Viktor. It was Sunday, so he didn’t have to come if Viktor didn’t call him. 

Suddenly his phone’s texting tone went off. Yuuri moved to check it, only to find that Viktor had sent him ten different photos. Yuuri never would’ve thought that Viktor was the type to spam pictures, but he basically did it all the time. Especially when Yuuri had a day off like this. He wondered if Viktor treated his former caretakers like this too…

Yuuri unlocked his phone with a swipe, looking with a mix of amusement and exasperation at some blurry photos of Viktor and Yurio. Some of the photos had Makkachin jumping on them as the camera went off. He laughed when he saw Yurio's sour face glaring at some food in front of him. Yurio had told him about the moving octopus that he’d gotten for dinner once, and now it was shrimp.

He wasn’t sure whether to laugh or pity the boy. He looked so offended.

Next was Viktor cleaning, then Viktor cooking... That didn’t go too well… Or perhaps the man simply had a different taste in food? The intimidating mess in the pot could have very well been some traditional Russian food that Yuuri had never seen before.

He would have to ask Viktor about his mother’s suggestion some time before the man left. Was there a way to invite Yurio into his home without sounding weird....? Today was going to be a long day for Yuuri. He sighed, slumping on his bed with Vicchan wagging his tail beside him.

…

“Phichit, please put your phone down or else I’ll have to confiscate it.”

The boy smiled at Yuuri, lowering his phone at last.

“Of course, Yuuri-sensei!” there was one more camera flash before the boy actually returned his device to his pocket.

Yuuri sighed, Phichit was a nice kid. If he could just tone down his habit of constantly taking pictures for social media, Yuuri would really appreciate it.

Phichit’s instagram was filled with photos of food, hamsters, kids in his class, and Yuuri, his favorite teacher. There were some other teachers’ photos on there, but nowhere near as many as Yuuri’s. Since Yuuri never took any pictures of himself, Phichit had apparently made it his goal to take enough pictures of Yuuri for the both of them. There were actually some people who followed the young boy for Yuuri’s latest photos. Phichit had the talent to get Yuuri’s face at the best angle when it came to selfies. The child usually sat near Yuuri at lunch time with Guang Hong and Leo to show them the comments on his pictures. Yuuri stood up to take a look at Phichit's feed for himself out of curiousity. Yuuri was worried about all these strangers on this five year old’s instagram account… He was concerned for Phichit’s safety, and the concern extended to Guang Hong too, who seemed have to have picked up Phichit’s habits. What if someone managed to find their addresses or something through their profiles? Yuuri was just about to take a look at Phichit's phone when he felt someone grope his butt.

He jumped a little in surprise and quickly turned his head to catch the culprit.

“Yuuri, we should talk about the summer festival… Yakov says it’s good for the kids in your class to learn a thing or two about Japanese culture~ we do a field trip every year with the kindergarteners,” Chris said, smiling innocently.

“R-right, Yakov mentioned it…” Yuuri cleared his throat and calmed his nerves. It was just Chris, he was just like that… “Do you know how many chaperones are going? I have ten kids in my class.”

Chris tapped his chin, thinking, “Including you and me, three. We can split into groups. Emil and I can each look after three kids. You can handle four, right, Yuuri?”

“Y-yes, since it’s my class after all…”

“Emil can handle J.J. and the twins.”

“I’ll look after Yurio, Minami, Phichit, and Guang Hong,” Yuuri said, recalling the list that Yakov had given him earlier that morning.

“And I’ll handle the rest~” Chris moved closer to Yuuri, but Yurio growled at him. Chris stopped, wondering when the boy had gotten there. He held his hands up in surrender at Yurio, who clutched the back of Yuuri’s thigh with a glare that silently screamed ‘back off.’

“Cool down kid, I already have a special someone,” Chris smirked at the child. His comment didn’t stop him from blowing a kiss at Yuuri though.

“I just wanted to make sure you knew, Yuuri. See you at festival~”

Yurio stuck out his tongue at the man who disappeared from the classroom as quickly as he had come. Yuuri relieved when Chris was no longer in sight. He knew Chris was very touchy despite already having a boyfriend…Yuuri remembered the brunet who picked Chris up last week. This was the subject of Yuuri’s thoughts that kept him from noticing Minami approaching them. He had come closer to get a look at Phichit’s phone, which he had been typing away at while Chris had been talking to Yuuri. 

Minami let out a surprised screech and blushed hard.

Phichit had uploaded a photo of Chris groping Yuuri’s butt with the hashtag "#scandal in kindergarten #save my sensei.”

The Thai boy had to silence Minami when the younger of the two had tried to tell Yuuri. He bribed the boy with several Yuuri photos which convinced Minami to reluctantly keep quiet. Yuuri was still too lost in thought to notice Minami’s guilty expression.

Yuuri hadn’t expected Yakov to come up with this kind of event for the kids, but when the principal informed him, he had thought to himself that at least it would be easier to convince Viktor to let Yurio come to a festival. Now how to convince him to let Yurio stay at his place…? Yuuri still had to figure that out.

…

“Papa, I’m going with Yuuri-sensei to a summer festival! The school said so!”

Viktor beamed at his five year old ball of excitement, “Wow! When is it?! I wanna come too!!” Yurio simply smirked, leaving Viktor confused. Yuuri doesn’t really have the heart to tell him when Viktor looked so excited…

“Um, actually the festival is at the second day you’ll be gone...”

Yuuri was sure he heard Viktor’s heart fall to the floor and shatter to pieces.

“WHY?!! I WANNA COME TOO!! Why is it always like this…I’ll never recover,” the man sobbed on the couch with Makkachin curled beside him, trying to cheer him up.

“I’m sorry Viktor, I’ll make sure to send lots of photos of Yurio while you’re gone.”

“But I wanna be there! I want to try the food, I wanna be with Yurio, I wanna be with…” Viktor stopped himself before the word escaped his mouth.

You.

“…Makkachin.”

Yuuri chuckled upon hearing that. “As long as he doesn't steal any steamed buns from the stalls, that is.”

Viktor smiled sadly at the amazing schoolteacher who had been Yurio’s caretaker for the past four months. He really wanted to go with Yuuri. It would be like a date, though Yuuri would definitely back out if he called it a date. He’d definitely go along with it if Viktor called it a “family outing” with the caretaker though. He would say that Makkachin needed to be looked after, but Makkachin and Yurio were too difficult to watch at the same time and Yuuri would shyly but happily come along with them. Yeah, a date with the dog and kids, how perfect did that sound? Viktor sighed. He slowly rose up from the couch, still slouching a little. Makkachin licked his cheek.

Yurio was his late cousin’s son. Viktor was close with her, so when she passed away, he promised to take care of Yurio. Unfortunately, Viktor hadn’t been able to come to her funeral because he hadn’t been in Russia at that time, so social services took custody of his cousin’s child. When Viktor arrived in Moscow, he’d been incredibly busy, so it took some time for Viktor to figure out which orphanage Yurio was in.

Yurio was a troublesome kid, and so he had been moved from orphanage to orphanage, making it even more difficult for Viktor to find him. Although it took time, Yurio was family, and leaving him alone was never an option. 

Quietly, Viktor found Yurio’s attachment to Yuuri reminiscent of his attachment to his mother.

Viktor had felt that something would change when he first saw Yuuri at the daycare. Yurio’s rough attitude softened around the nineteen year old male. At first he looked plain and ordinary, but something made him gravitate to Yuuri. Perhaps it was the elegant way he moved between the counters at the daycare or just the graceful, ballerina-esque way he walked. Not to mention, if you looked beyond those large framed glasses, you’d find a pretty face that Viktor found rarely, even in his line of work. It helped that Yuuri was good with kids, good at cleaning, and amazing at cooking, in addition to being pure, kind, and the owner of the most beautiful smile on the planet… Viktor could go on all day.

He had met many gorgeous men and women in this day (though not as gorgeous as him, of course) but he had never found anyone as interesting as Yuuri Katsuki. He could stare at him forever and never get even the slightest bit bored. Yuuri had brought a spark into his life. A spark that had turned into a warm flame that brought him inspiration and tranquility every time he saw him. Viktor was suddenly forced out of his daydreaming by the sound of Yuuri’s happy voice.

“Yurio and I are going with three other kids. I hope they have fun at the festival… Oh, and there’s a fireworks show at 9pm! It’s the best thing about the festival after the food… I’ll have to find the kids a good spot to see them.”

Viktor smiled gently, catching Yuuri caught off guard. “I’ll be happy as long as you’re this happy though…” Yuuri blushed. “I’ll be waiting for the photos then! Please send me photos of you too! I’ll need something to brighten up my day!”

“Hahaha, don’t worry! I won’t forget! But I think that pictures of Yurio should be more than enough to make your day…” Yuuri scratched his head with a sheepish smile. He couldn’t quite make a connection between pictures of himself and Viktor’s happiness.

Viktor pouted at him and stood up from the couch to walk closer to where Yuuri was watering the plants.

“You’ve helped me so much these past few months, Yuuri. I don’t know how I would’ve managed without you here, so I was wondering what I could give you as a show of gratitude.” The silver haired man tilted Yuuri’s chin up. One would think that he would have gotten used to Viktor’s touchy feely nature by now, but nooo. Viktor could never seem to keep his hands to himself, and despite how affectionate Viktor had proved to be, Yuuri was still not entirely comfortable with the way the man touched him so intimately. 

Viktor’s vibrant blue eyes that never failed to make Yuuri’s breath catch in his throat were staring down at him intently. Yuuri shut his eyes and clenched his teeth. “I’m okay! You really don’t have to do anything for me! It’s really is nothing, and you already pay me way too well, so honestly, I’m okay!”

The man’s voice turned serious, “But I can’t help but feel that I should to do something for you… I want to make you happy, Yuuri.”

‘But I am happy…’ helping Viktor never failed to make him happy. Being able to help a man he admired so much was more than enough for him. Unfortunately, those thoughts didn’t make Viktor’s face any farther away from his own, and Yuuri could feel his knees weakening under Viktor’s gaze. Suddenly he heard Viktor yelp and his eyes snapped open.

He followed Viktor’s eyes to find Yurio repeatedly kicking Viktor’s legs.

“Get away from sensei, Papa!” Yurio pulled at Viktor’s pants in attempt to pull him away from Yuuri. Of course Viktor didn’t budge. Yurio’s five year old arms were too weak to move his adoptive father even a centimeter. Instead, Viktor retaliated by hugging Yuuri with smirk as he rubbed his face happily against Yuuri’s cheek and his eyes stayed on the fuming Yurio.

That was the last straw. With determination in his eyes, the blond boy bit into Viktor’s leg. Viktor only forced himself to let go of Yuuri when he felt Yurio’s teeth sink past the fabric of his pants and into his skin.

Viktor pouted in the corner while Yuuri and Makkachin tried to cheer him up. Yurio was sitting on a small chair facing the wall because Viktor had put him in time-out. The boy looked so grumpy and angry. He had been cursing quietly in Russian, but Yuuri’s presence discouraged him from saying too many bad words for too long. Yuuri couldn’t be completely angry with his student either. After all, the boy had put a stop to that embarrassing moment before Yuuri’s legs had the chance to give out from pressure and shock. 

“Yurio has Otabek, why can’t he give me a little happiness…” Viktor murmured under his breath. Grumbling, he rubbed his leg where Yurio had bitten him.

Yuuri laughed awkwardly, unsure of what to say. Viktor was kind of cute like this. He was like a five year old pouting about a lost toy. 

Yuuri also couldn’t help but smile at the thought of Yurio’s third grade neighbor. The blond boy had taken a liking to Otabek, if his excitement about showing off his lion pajamas the last time they went to pick up their pets together was any indication. The third grader had held the tail of the lion outfit in awe and admiration and talked with Yurio non-stop. The boy even had dinner with them often.

Otabek’s parents often worked until late at night and consequently rarely came home. He was often left alone in his penthouse suite. Sure he had a kind old housekeeper to cook dinner for him, but she went home at five in the evening, so Otabek was alone for most of the night.

Yuuri invited him to have dinner at Yurio’s place since he knew that the blond boy would be happy to have him as company. These days it was all “Otabek this” and “Otabek that” with the blonde child, and Yuuri found it adorable. 

Suddenly remembered that he needed to ask Viktor about those three days he would be gone. His mother hadn’t stopped bugging him about the offer to let Yurio stay with them, and quite frankly Yuuri was starting to get worn down.

“Um…Viktor, I wanted to talk to you about those three days you’ll be gone…”

Viktor turned his head to Yuuri, grinning widely. “What about it, Yuuri? Do you want to come with me?? I can arrange that if you want -“

“Nonono, I didn’t- I have job and Yurio can’t- wait, what am I talking about? I mean…”

Viktor was still looking at him but with slightly sadder eyes. “But I was secretly hoping you were asking to go out with me.”

Yuuri covered his face with both hands, unable to contain his embarrassment. “Please stop, I’m trying to be serious here...” he peeked out from behind one of his fingers to look at Viktor, who was smiling widely at him.

‘I can’t help it when you act this adorable,’ Viktor said in his mind. ‘And I’m being serious too.’

“So Yuuri, what was it that you wanted to talk about?” his gentle voice prompted Yuuri to remove both of his hands and reveal his nervous expression. It made Viktor even more curious about Yuuri’s question.

“Um...my mother is offering to let Yurio stay with us for the days you’ll be gone? It’s closer to the festival space and he might like the hot spring at our inn? Actually, has Yurio ever been to hot spring before?”

Viktor fell silent, and the lack of an answer made Yuuri worried.

“…Or yeah, maybe it would be better to just stay here-”

“Your family owns a hot spring inn?”

Yuuri scratched his head, “Um, yes?”

Viktor beamed at him, “Why did you never tell me?! I’ve been dying to go to one, but I haven’t been able to because of work!”

Yuuri didn’t expect that, considering his family’s inn was the only hot spring place in Hasetsu... Yuuri smiled sheepishly at Viktor. “Then you should come and enjoy it sometime when you’re not busy. We’re open every day, but we’re a little further from here, if you don’t mind the travel time.”

Suddenly he heard small footsteps rushing up to them and then Yurio was standing there with shining eyes. “I can go to sensei’s home? For three days??”

“Maybe, if your father says it’s alright… But we’d need to wake up a little earlier because my place is farther away from school, ok?” Yuuri smiled gently.

Yurio nodded rapidly in response, already ready to go and excited about trying a hot spring. Viktor, on the other hand, wanted to cry. His son never acted this cute in front of him. Not to mention, Yurio would get to enjoy a hot spring with Yuuri while he had to work. He’d get to soak with Yuuri while Viktor soaked in a tub alone. Maybe Yurio would even get to sleep with Yuuri while Viktor laid beside himself at night. He closed his eyes, to calm his mind.

‘Patience Viktor, you’ll get to experience it someday too. Just do your job first.’ He would go to Yuuri’s family inn as soon as he landed back in Hasetsu. He didn’t care what it took. He had to. Even if his manager Lilia didn’t agree.

“Yuuri, I really want to go. I’d love more than anything to go with Yurio, but because I can’t, I hope you don’t mind looking after him for three days in your own home.”

Yuuri sighed in relief, “Thank you Viktor, and of course I didn’t mind. You can always come some other time and try the hot spring. Maybe Yurio will tell you about it before you come back.”

Viktor gave him a smile, but it was fake. How could he genuinely smile when what Yurio would tell him would be how soft Yuuri’s skin was, how nice he smelled, and how calm he looked when he was dozing off on the couch if Viktor couldn’t experience it all for himself first? Makkachin whined against his side as if feeling Viktor’s grief. 

“I’ll go fix dinner then. I hope you have a safe trip Viktor, and I hope you enjoy your time there.”

Yuuri brushed against him when he passed, and Viktor stared in awe as the man moved elegantly through the kitchen. The words had already left his lips before Viktor even realized what he was saying.

“Yuuri, do you practice some kind of dance? You look really fit…” and beautiful.

Yuuri flinched and faced the sink, wondering if he should tell him or not. Many kids his age had told him that ballet was lame and teased him for being a boy who did pirouettes and pliés. He wasn’t sure what Viktor would say.

Yuuri cleared his throat, answering hesitantly, “I…I’ve been taking ballet lessons since I was young... They’re actually how I met Yuuko. She doesn’t take lessons anymore, but I still practice when I have the time.” Though that was pretty rare nowadays.

Viktor didn’t realize it was possible to fall even harder than he already had. So Yuuri took ballet, no wonder he could sway his body like that when he walked… When he took some cups from a high cupboard, Viktor could almost see the point of his toes as he reached up. He wanted to know more about Yuuri. He wondered if Lilia would like to meet him. He knew that Lilia was a former ballet dancer before she became his manager.

“I’m thinking about enrolling Yurio in some classes for kids his age... Since I’d be terrified of putting him in karate or pottery, do you think ballet would be fun for him?” he tapped his lips and thought to himself that ballet suited Yurio somehow.

“Otabek’s parents force him to go! We could go together!” Yurio beamed at him.

Viktor smiled at Yurio. “Well, that settles it. Yuuri, do you know of any good ballet studios around here?”

Yuuri’s eyes widened. He wondered whether Viktor really serious. “Minako-sensei has been my ballet teacher up until now. She travelled the world as a dancer, but since she's retired now, she opened up a place for kids to learn ballet. I’ve been training at the Okukawa ballet center my entire life, and I’m pretty sure that that’s where Otabek takes his lessons too.”

“Perfect! Just tell me what I need to do to get Yurio enrolled! I’ll meet her when I get back.”

Yuuri smiled at the enthusiasm in Viktor’s voice. Minako-sensei would be so happy. Maybe she could even ask for his autograph herself (like Yuuri had been unable to do for four months). Yuuri himself had a stack of posters that he kind of wanted Viktor to sign…

It was pretty embarrassing. Besides, what would Viktor think if he knew that Yuuri had posters of him plastered all over his room? Speaking of posters, he really had to take those down in case Yurio insisted on sleeping with Yuuri like he usually did when Viktor was out of town for more than a day. It would be mortifying if Yurio saw them and devastating if the child managed to figure out Yuuri’s gigantic crush on his father. 

“I’ll let her know then. I feel like Yurio would be good at it too! He can be very graceful when he wants to be.” 

The blond boy trotted over to the kitchen counter and sat there, watching Yuuri work his way around the kitchen. His cheeks were dusted pink at the compliment Yuuri had given him. It was another score for Yurio, he was definitely beating J.J. in their rivalry for sensei. He smirked, thinking about how the other boy would look when Yurio utterly defeated him. He couldn’t wait.

…

Viktor left two days later, and Yuuri helped Yurio pack some clothes and a toothbrush. The boy excitedly brought his stuffed tiger in his suitcase too before walking out the door with Yuuri. They greeted Otabek on the way out, and Yurio proudly announced that he’d get to stay at sensei’s house like nobody else in his class would get to do. 

They arrived at Yutopia later that evening. Yurio was tired and sleepy, so Yuuri tucked him into bed and went to greet his family. Sometime after Yurio woke up, Yuuri brought him to the dining area for dinner. His mother and sister were completely smitten with the boy’s cuteness and only giggled when Yurio yelled at them for calling him that. The first day wasn’t too eventful since the boy was mostly sleepy and silent. Yuuri had made sure all of his Viktor posters were hidden safely under his bed though. The night time was quiet as well. Yurio woke up in the middle of the night and took a moment to look at Yuuri while he was still asleep beside him. Yurio clutched Yuuri’s shirt tightly to make sure he didn’t slip away into the night. In the morning, Yuuri laid awake for ten minutes before he found the willpower to gently wake the sleeping child up and loosen the grip on his shirt.

When they went to school, Yuuri carried Yurio as he rushed to catch the bus. Yurio tightly clutched Yuuri’s shirt like he always did. He wished Yuuri would just stay with him and Viktor. He wanted to wake up and find Yuuri there every day, like he used to find his mom when he woke up in the middle of the night. Before she left him forever.

He hoped Yuuri wouldn’t leave him. He didn’t want Viktor to find a new caretaker. There was no one else who could make him feel as calm, as warm and loved as Yuuri did. 

With Viktor he had found safety. The man really cared for him and tried to give him attention no matter how busy he was. He bought Yurio a bunch of stuff too, but Viktor was never the one who was there for him. That was Yuuri.

Since he had come to Japan, he had had trouble with the foreign scenery and foreign language. Being surrounded by foreign children hadn’t helped. He had had trouble with some children at his orphanage, so he couldn’t help but hate kids his age. He knew how cruel they could be, so he was happy when they left him alone. It was better to be alone than to be hurt. But then Yuuri came along.

He didn’t really like him at first. He was annoying. Yurio even called him “pig” to make fun of the teacher’s soft features and push him away. But then he started sitting with Yurio at every lunch break, keeping him company and sharing his delicious food. He always talked to him with a gentle voice, and he always cared for him when he was feeling sad, and he always smiled at him when no one did. Yuuri patted him softly on the head when he fought with J.J. and put band aids on his scratches when he fell down. He never left him like the other students and teachers did. He carried him, let him sleep on his lap, and combed his fingers through his hair like his mom used to. He remembered him and called him over when he was being left out.

Yurio didn’t want anyone but Yuuri. He’d bite Viktor thousand times if he even considered trying to find a replacement. If Viktor still insisted on finding someone other than Yuuri then he’s just marry him so that Viktor couldn’t get rid of him. That was how serious Yurio was about keeping Yuuri around.

The boy had on a determined look that Yuuri didn’t understand as they got inside the bus. He considered asking, but he felt that it was better not to. The boy continued staring at him intently. 

The bus drove on and made stops at one station after the next. After almost 30 minutes, they finally reached the school. Some of the kids on their way in greeted Yuuri as he passed by, and a few of the students looked on with jealousy as they watched Yuuri carry Yurio into the kindergarten classroom. Yurio gave them all a smug smiles as he passed them by. They stared in awe.

Yuuri put Yurio down on the carpet so that he could begin to prepare for the day’s lesson. He also needed to make last minute announcements about the after school class trip to the festival near Yutopia. The kids would gather at the entrance, so Yuuri had to get there early. Of course this would be after getting Yurio and himself ready. 

Yuuri wondered how Emil and Chris managed to do this every year… This would be Yuuri’s first time guiding a group of kids at a local festival. Maybe being genuinely Japanese would help him educate the children on Japanese culture? Emil and Chris had only lived there for five years, and they did the job just fine. Hopefully it wouldn’t be too difficult… Hopefully.

The kids swarmed excitedly around Yuuri as they asked about the food and how much money they should bring. Yuuri calmed them down and made sure they knew that the food was good but too much would make them sick and that they should talk to their parents about how much money they should spend. The kids looked happy, and Sara and Isabella talked excitedly about the Yukatas they were going to wear. He smiled at their excited expressions, his kids were so cute.

On their way home, Yurio asked what a yukata was and Yuuri smiled. Maybe he’d have to pull one of his old ones out so that the boy could wear them. He bet Viktor would love to see his son wearing one. Yurio would look adorable. 

Little did he know that Hiroko had already pulled out a small yukata for Yurio along with Yuuri’s. Yuuri was a bit hesitant to wear it because he had to watch over the kids and wanted as much mobility as possible, but Hiroko forced him. He had a blue yukata similar to Yurio’s smaller one, so they looked like a matched set. 

At first Yurio rejected the strange looking piece of cloth. Yuuri tried to sway Yurio with how happy Viktor would be to see him wear one, but the blond boy didn’t care about that one bit. It was getting closer to the time they needed to leave, so Yuuri gave up and put his own yukata on. When the boy saw Yuuri wearing it, he was more than happy to put on one just like it.

Yuuri smiled happily when Yurio finally agreed to let Yuuri dress him. He was absolutely adorable, and the yukata fit him perfectly. He quickly snapped a photo and sent it to Viktor, as promised. Yuuri brought along some of the extra money that Viktor had given him in case Yurio needed something and then they were off to the festival. 

Phichit was already waiting at the festival’s front entrance with Minami and Guang Hong. Yuuri was a little disappointed that he hadn’t been able to get there earlier, but their smiles made him shake the thought away. The three were also wearing yukatas. Phichit had on a green one, Minami was wearing red, and Guang Hong’s was pale purple. Since the whole group was present, Yuuri led them into the festive collection of food stalls and games. 

As they walked, Yuuri explained a little about the festival’s history and its main attractions. After his introduction, Phichit and Guang Hong got busy taking photos of everything awhile Minami looked around at all the food stalls. Yuuri was a bit overwhelmed since the kids were all over the place and Yurio hadn’t let go of the bottom of his yukata since they entered the festival grounds. 

“Y-Yurio please don’t pull on my yukata like that, it’ll get loose…” Yuuri blushed a little as some people stared at his slipping outfit. He contemplated simply carrying Yurio around and instead of letting him walk beside him. If he wore his usual clothes then it wouldn’t have mattered how much they were pulled on...

Suddenly Phichit snapped a picture of them before innocently turning his phone to the stall behind them. Yuuri sighed. He needed to fix his clothes, so he let the kids go to buy food as long as they stayed in the area where Yuuri could see them. Once everyone reconvened, they found a spot at a table in a quieter corner of the festival ground that gave them a beautiful view of Hasetsu’s beach. Yuuri made sure all of the kids stayed put before he went to buy himself some takoyaki. Yuuri then proceeded to sit down with the intent of fixing his yukata, but then Yurio had already sat in his lap with a candy apple and a jealous gaze from Minami. Phichit and Guang Hong were showing each other the photos they’d taken of the festival. Yuuri decided to check his own phone and saw that Viktor had replied to him.

18.25

Wow Yuuri! He looks amazing! Japanese yukatas look so fun and pretty~! Yurio looks great!”

18.26

By the way where’s your photo? Did you wear one too?  


19.03

He’s eating a candy apple right now. He seems to like it

19.06

You sent a photo Yurio.jpg

19.07

I’m wearing one too… I don’t look as good as Yurio 

 

Yuuri had just been putting his phone down when another text made itself known.

19.08

It looks gooood, I wish I was there T-T

19.09

Please send a picture!! I wanna see you wearing a yukata!  


19.10

Haha, hopefully you can make it next year ^^ Fight!

19.11

But I’m sorry…I have a student I to tend to… Sorry, bye! >_<

 

19.12

No, Yuuri!!! Come back!! T-T

Yuuri blushed a little as he returned his phone to his small pocket inside his yukata. Why was Viktor so intent on getting a photo of him? He didn’t look that good anyway.

Suddenly he started hearing Phichit’s notifications go off rapidly. It was his instagram. Kids these days…

“Phichit what did you upload this time? Please be careful of strangers, all right? I wouldn’t want anything bad happen to you,” he said, frowning worriedly at the boy who was still very plugged into his phone.

“I’m only uploading what we’re doing at festival and the food we ate today. It’s exciting!”

Yuuri smiled at Phichit’s enthusiasm as the boy snapped a few more photos. He sighed, wondering what he should do about Phitchit’s social media obsession… In addition to concerns for the boy’s safety, Phichit liked taking pictures of Yuuri a little too much…

He noticed that Yurio had been looking at his food for a while, so Yuuri held up a piece of takoyaki.

“Would you like to try some, Yurio? It’s good.”

Yurio nodded with a curious stare as he accepted the treat and popped it into his mouth.

Yuuri could practically see stars in the little one’s eyes and couldn’t help but laugh lovingly.

He heard more snapping sounds and looked up to see Phichit with his phone’s camera pointed at him and Yurio. He’d never seen Phichit’s photos of him, so all he could really do was hope he didn’t look completely ridiculous. Yuuri sighed and continued to feed himself and Yurio, occasionally wiping grilled squid sauce from Minami’s face. Guang Hong occupied himself with his pink cotton candy while Phichit remained on his phone.

After Yuuri finished his takoyaki, he stood up to fix his attire and looked out to find a good spot to watch the fireworks. He found a perfect spot in front of the nearby shrine and led the kids there. A little before the fireworks began, Phichit gasped in surprise at his phone. Immediately Yuuri looked over at Phichit to see what was wrong.

“Viktor Nikiforov is liking my photos!”

Yuuri almost fell over when he heard the boy. 

Really Viktor?

“He’s liking all photos with Yuuri-sensei! And- oh my God he’s following me?!” Phichit was still screaming excitedly with Guang Hong while Yuuri adjusted Yurio in his arms. The blond boy murmured silently so none of the other kids could hear him, “It’s only papa, why are they so excited over someone like him?”

‘You don’t know it how amazing he is because he’s your papa, Yurio.’ Yuuri smiled tiredly and sat down. The kids gathered around him and waited for the fireworks start. Yuuri felt his phone vibrate and read what Viktor had texted.

21.01

I really hope I can go with you next year. We can bring Yurio and Makkachin >v<

I can’t wait!

21.02

PS: I found your photos and you look amazing

Yuuri had to wonder how the hell Viktor found his photos on Phichit’s intagram... What kind of picture did Phichit upload?? And what did Viktor search to find his photos specifically?! Yuuri moved his gaze to Phichit’s phone and saw #Hasetsufestival2k16 #kindergarten #myteacher #prettyboy under one of his pictures.

He blushed at that last tag. Why did Phichit have to put that there? His students loved to tease him sometimes, especially Phichit. He saw the number of comments under his photos and was surprised at how many followers his student had.

“Phichit, why did you have to upload my pictures?” Yuuri whined with his face in his hands. He felt embarrassed somehow by the number of people who liked and commented on his photos.

“Sensei’s pictures are good for my traffic.”

Yuuri facepalmed. The boy kept typing on his phone, not really minding Yuuri’s exasperated gaze.

“Besides I don’t mind collecting photos of other people in my feed. I love people~ and they love my photos!”

Yuuri huffed, “Just remember to be careful, okay Phichit? And Guang Hong, you too. Make sure you never give anyone your address and report any comments that make you feel uncomfortable. It would kill me if either of you were kidnapped or stalked by strangers.”

Minami tugged at his sleeve with teary eyes, “I couldn’t stand to see anything happen to you either, Minami. I feel the same way about all of my students.” Yuuri gave Minami a reassuring hug, which got a growl from Yurio but didn’t stop everyone else from wanting a hug from Yuuri too. “Come on now, the fireworks are starting soon.” They all nodded and scooted in closer to Yuuri to watch the first burst of color bloom across the sky.

…

Meanwhile, Viktor was still scrolling through the kindergartener’s feed. He was sooo lucky to find so many photos of Yuuri. He chuckled seeing how much this student adored his teacher. But what he really wanted to see was the festival with Yuuri and Yurio, and so he began searching up all the hastags involving Hasetsu’s summer festival. Yuuri didn’t send him enough photos… Or rather, he sent plenty of photos, but they were all of Yurio and the festival itself. None of Yuuri at all.

Suddenly his breath caught in his throat when he found what he had been looking for. Everything looked so pretty, Viktor couldn’t believe that the photographer was only five years old kid! And his heart almost stopped when he saw Yuuri there with Yurio. This Phichit+chu was truly a blessing!! Viktor hit “like” instantly on any photos with Yuuri in them and then hit “follow" on the account profile. Now he had a way to keep up with Yuuri’s activities.

Yuuri was kind of a mysterious figure to him because he rarely talked about himself, even though Viktor clearly showed his interest in his daily life. He only knew that Yuuri’s family owned a hot spring inn. Viktor still hadn’t given up on his plan to talk to Lilia about going there after this trip was done. He’d barely had any holidays since he landed in this country. If he went to Yuuri’s inn then he might get lucky enough to catch a glimpse of Yuuri in the morning, or maybe even in the bath.

Bad Viktor.

But Yuuri was soooo attractive. In several of Phichit+chu’s snapshots, Yuuri’s yukata was hanging loosely off his frame and it looked downright sexy. Though in the more recently uploaded pictures, it seemed that Yuuri had fixed it before the fireworks began.

Viktor spent some more time looking through some of Phichit+chu’s older stuff. There were hamsters, kids in his class, selfies, angry Yurio, and….

Wait. What was that.

Who was this man.

And was that a fucking hand on Yuuri’s ass?!!

What a round and soft looking ass, though. He wished that was his hand in the photo.

Wait.

He shook his head.

Viktor almost threw his phone at the wall in anger. He was angry and jealous… mostly jealous because there was no way Yuuri would’ve let him touch him so intimately. So who was this man? What was their relationship? He’d need to ask Yuuri when he got home. He wanted to ask about this man while they were face to face. How dare he touch his Yuuri like that! He read the tags, #scandal in kindergarten #save my sensei.

“Viktor, it’s almost your turn! Get ready!”

He heard Lilia from behind the door of his dressing room. Viktor slapped his phone down, smoothing his appearance for the shoot. Lilia took note of his annoyed expression.

“Did something happen, Viktor?”

Viktor stared at Lilia before putting on his plastic smile.

“Everything’s okay. I’m ready.”

Lilia glared at him. She knew what his fake smile looked like. She scolded Viktor on their way to the studio.

“Don’t distract yourself! You still have more work after this!” She continued lecturing him, but Viktor didn’t register anything she said.

He just really wanted to go home right now.

He was missing his son and his kindergarten teacher already. His face turned sour for a bit but was neutral by the time he reached the photo shoot. After all, he was known for his professionalism and emotional control in his line of work. He’d just finish all of his work faster so he could go home earlier. He needed Makkachin there too to keep him sane.

What was with all of these rivals? First was Yurio, then came Yuuko, who Viktor had actually labeled “safe” because he learned that she was engaged to Yuuri’s friend, Takeshi. But just when he thought there weren’t any real obstacles left, a random foreign guy suddenly pops up. Some random guy had groped his adorable love interest’s butt! Why did crushes have to be so difficult?

Now the question was how to catch Yuuri alone and ask about this…? He always seemed to manage to slip out of Viktor’s grasp thanks to either Yurio (usually) or his other students or random people or even Makkachin sometimes.

It was a little frustrating.

He wanted to scream, but of course people would talk, so instead he sighed.

“I want to go home.”


	5. Anxious

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri is surprised with what Viktor said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: The rating may change in later chapters, but I don't know, should I keep the story rather fluffy or you want sexy moment later since I put the rating M/M :'') Of course no kids would see that sexy Viktuuri moment, only us /cough 
> 
> Just tell me your opinion I'll think from it and tend to do my best there ; _ ; please be kind /cry
> 
> As always thank you a lot for Ninjassasin8 who beta this chapter although it's new year time at her timezone! ; v ; thank you so much dear!
> 
> Happy New Year everyone ^^/ and if you had time pls check my YOI charms in my tumblr I put lot of love on making them :'D last, I hope you enjoyed this chapter /I'll be out from here fast! See you later!

Precious Love 5

Yuuri was walking home with Yurio on the last day. It was almost three in the afternoon and Viktor was supposed to come home later that night, so Yuuri was waiting for the call to tell him to bring Yurio back home. He was greeted by his mother as he slid the door open. 

“Yuuri, a strange looking foreigner just came in... He brought a big suitcase and a surgical mask and he's rented out the entire outdoor onsen! He's a little suspicious... Do you think you could check up on him? Your father's still outside." his mom tapped her fingers together, looking nervous.

Yuuri frowned. A foreigner? Visiting a hot spring at this time of year? He probably did need to check on this man...

Yuuri quickly changed into his inn worker clothes and asked Yurio to stay with his mom. 

“Don’t worry, I'll be right back.”

Yurio tapped his feet against the wooden floor, waiting for Yuuri to come back. Just because he was patient didn't mean he couldn't be grumpy, he thought. 

Walking into the bath house, Yuuri looked around worriedly. The place was empty, so he walked on and only hesitated for a moment before sliding open the last door to the outdoor hot spring.

“Excuse me, I've brought some more soap for-" 

Yuuri’s eyes widened in surprise. 

Viktor was soaking in the hot spring.

Completely naked.

Yuuri was ready to faint. Instead, he resisted the urge to fall unconscious from shock and fell to his knees. 

“Vi-Viktor? W-what are you doing he-“

“Yuuri!” the silver haired man stood suddenly and didn’t bother to cover his front part. 

Yuuri flinched to cover his eyes, blushing madly. But then suddenly he remembered- 

“Viktor!! Please cover your face, it’s dangerous! People will recognize you!” he flailed his hands, gesturing for Viktor to cover his face.

But the man only chuckled at him, “There’s no one here Yuuri, it’s only us.”

He sat back in the water, and Yuuri was just thankful that his glasses were just foggy enough to prevent him from seeing Viktor very clearly. 

“Besides, I plan to move to Hasetsu for quite a while, so the media will notice sooner or later."

Yuuri gulped. Had he heard that right? Viktor planned to stay here? 

“F-for how long, exactly?”

“A few years at least. I want Yurio to be able to settle into elementary school at least.”

Yuuri nodded. Maybe Viktor have long term project here in Japan. But was it really so big that he had to be there for at least a few years? As a fan, he was excited and curious. Was it another movie? Modeling? A fashion show? He wanted to ask, but he didn't want to come off as nosy. It would be unfair to the rest of the fans if he got to find out before they did, so he would just wait patiently like the rest. 

“Yuuri, would you like to join me in here? I've rented the place for a bit, so it'll be empty. No one know I’m here either.” Not even Lilia.

He bet the women was screeching in anger looking for him right now, and his second manager Georgi was probably panicking. Viktor left the site immediately after all of his work was done and had taken an early flight back to Hasetsu without telling anyone. He grinned. 

Yuuri’s face was back to being beet red, he turned around. 

“I’m s-sorry! H-here’s your soap. I-I'll be going now! Yurio is waiting for me outside!”

“Let him know he can join me here~ Actually, why don’t we take a little soak together? It'll be fun!” what a brilliant idea, Viktor! He could spend time with his family AND get a look at Yuuri's body again. Oh how he'd longed to see that smooth, glistening skin again... He was practically drooling at the thought alone.

Yuuri quickly gathered his thoughts, shaking his head, “N-no, I’m okay! You just rented this whole place for yourself, I won’t disturb you! If you'll excuse me now, I need to go get Yurio!" he skittered away from the onsen, blushing madly.

Yurio was right… Viktor was made of hard muscle all over. He looked so fit and manly... Nothing like Yuuri and his soft excuse for a body. He was also indeed bigger than Yuuri too, so his pride as a man was shattered a second time. 

Yuuri huffed, he kind of hated his body. He gained weight quickly, especially if he was stressed, and Minako-sensei had scolded him several times throughout his younger years. There was no way he could do ballet with a body like 'that' or he'd surely break his toes, she'd said. So Yuuri did some dieting here and there to keep himself in shape. 

Viktor looked amazing all the time, even when he fell asleep on his couch and drooled. He was a planet away from Yuuri and his depressingly plain self. Yuuri sighed, Viktor was a gorgeous man who Yuuri simply couldn't be worthy of. He kept telling himself that until his mom found him in front of the hot spring’s door.

“Yuuri? What happened to you? Did that man do something to you?!” his mom looked worriedly looking at Yuuri’s red face as Yurio walked up beside her.

“It-It's okay mom. No need to worry. He’s…”

He looked at Yurio's slightly worried face and smiled reassuringly. "Yurio, your father is here.”

Yurio’s eyes widened in surprise. “What- what is that geezer doing here!? I thought he was coming home at night?!”

Yuuri scratched his head, unsure of how to answer.

“He asked if you wanted to join him right now, since he’s alone in there. I can pack your suitcase while you soak with him.”

His mom gasped in surprise, “Wait, so that man is this cute boy’s father? He's your employer?”

Yurio scoffed at the word ‘cute’ being directed at him.

“Y-yes, his name is Viktor…” Yuuri decided against saying Viktor's full name for reasons. Yurio grab his pants, hugging his feet.

“Yuuri, that man is planning to stay here for two days. He just paid all of it upfront.”

While his mother spoke, Yuuri remained silent. He did invite Viktor to try his family's hot spring, but he didn’t expect Viktor to take up the offer so quickly. He had only mentioned it to him five days ago and now the actor was here. 

What was Viktor thinking?! Didn't he want to extend his anonymity in Hasetsu for as long as possible?? He didn't understand Viktor's mind at all.

“And he brought his lovely poodle too! He's playing with Vicchan right now.”

“W-with Vicchan?!” He hoped Vicchan didn't get crushed while playing with his new friend... His poodle was so small, while Makkachin was so NOT. 

“Yuuri, that man really seems suspicious. Is he really your employer? Does he have some illness that requires him to wear a mask all the time? I will say he has pretty colored eyes though.”

Yuuri averts his eyes as he tried to come up with an explanation for Viktor always hiding his face. “Oh, no... he’s healthy, but… um, maybe the air in Japan isn't good for him, or something...? Yeah, that must be it!” 

Suddenly Yurio tugged at his pants. “I don’t really wanna bathe with papa, but if you join then I will.”

Hiroko covered her endeared smile with her hand. Yurio had been simply adorable with the way he had stuck to her son since day one. Maybe sticking to someone familiar was simply the child's way of dealing with his new environment, but he avoided very one else in he family. (Particularly Mari, who couldn't stop pinching his cheeks when she saw him). 

“Oh, just go on ahead, Yuuri!" Hiroko said encouragingly "You can go on and ask his father if you can come in for his son's sake. I'm still a little wary of him, but I trust your judgement. Or can simply give him a bath indoors and wait for his father to come out if you feel uncomfortable asking."

Viktor wouldn’t mind, Yuuri knew. He had already invited him. And Yurio didn’t want to bathe if Yuuri isn’t with him…

But he really didn't want to be almost naked in front of Viktor! He had absolutely zero confidence when it came to his body and he barely felt comfortable looking at HIMSELF, let alone letting others look at him. Yuuri rarely even used the onsen when there were people around. How could he possibly be naked in front of Viktor?! Once was enough, and that had been an accident. Viktor didn’t comment on it, and Yuuri hoped he never would. 

And yet at the same time, he also really wanted Yurio and Viktor to have some family bonding time. He could see how important Yurio was to Viktor, and he knew that Viktor's constant absence in Yurio's life was largely responsible for Yurio's distance. He wanted Yurio to soak in with Viktor. He wanted them to be closer to each other. Yuuri shut his eyes, clenched his teeth, and groaned in frustration. 

'Ok, well, it's not everyday that you get the chance to soak in a hot spring with a man you admire,' he tried to reason with his inner self, blushing madly. His mother tapped his shoulder.

“The guest will being in soon, Yuuri, so please remind Viktor about the time limit. I need to go tend to the front desk." She gave him a kind smile and walked away. 

As Yuuri considered his inner conflict, Yurio watched his changing expressions with fascination. Finally Yuuri huffed in determination. 

“Okay Yurio! Let’s go soak with your father! It'll be a great chance for you two to spend some time together and bond!"

Yurio rolled his eyes, “He’s annoying. And I think we’re okay.”

Yuuri didn’t think so. Yurio didn’t even say good bye to Viktor when he left.

“Yurio, you know that it's usually good for parents to be close to their children, right? You should be able to tell him anything.” Yurio gave him determined look.

“Anything?” Including his plan to keep sensei as a caretaker forever? 

“Yes Yurio, he's your father after all. He's here to help you with whatever you might need.”

“But I have sensei here.”

Yuuri smiled awkwardly, unsure of how to respond to that... So instead of responding, he gave a worn out smile and started undressing himself and Yurio before grabbing towels for the both of them. He then put his glasses in a safe spot and tied a towel around his waist before turning back to Yurio, only to have the kindergartner tug him eagerly to the hot spring door. 

Viktor, who had been facing the bathhouse door, nearly spit out the sake he'd been drinking. Yuuri slid the door open and waved shyly with his free hand. 

“Y-Yuuri??”

“I’m sorry I to intrude, but- Yurio, you'll fall! You have to wash up first!-" he tugged Yurio back into the bath house. "Yurio didn't want to come in alone," Yuuri's said with a smile. “I hope I didn’t disturb you! P-please enjoy your sake! I’ll leave as soon as Yurio's clean-"

“NO!” both father and son yelled in unison, making Yuuri jump back a little in surprise. “W-what?”

Yurio latched on to Yuuri's leg to prevent him from moving. "I wanna soak with sensei! Don’t mind papa! You have to stay!!” 

“Yurio, how could youuu,” Yuuri could hear Viktor whine from the hot spring. There were splashing sounds as Viktor waded closer. “It's not an intrusion at all, Yuuri. Please, come in and join us,” he said, laying his hands on the rocky ground beside the water. Yuuri blushed red and turned his head side ways, avoiding both of their eyes, “I-if you didn’t mind, then…okay.”

Oh how Viktor wanted to reach out and touch that smooth, pale skin. Kiss it repeatedly. 

Viktor needed to control himself. 'Yurio is here. My kid is here. Keep your urges to yourself, Viktor. Now is not the time...'

But at least he could enjoy the view. 

Yuuri sat Yurio down and started rinsing him with soap and water. He had left the door open (hoping that either Viktor or Yurio would try to start a conversation with each other or something), and Viktor was happy simply observing Yuuri’s body from where he was. Yurio glared at him and called him a pervert in Russian. Yuuri was confused when the boy growled out some foreign word and Viktor just smirked in response. 

When he was done with Yurio, Yuuri carried him to the edge of the water where Viktor was waiting. “You can go soak with your papa how,” he smiled. The boy scoffed, but he lowered himself into the water and relaxed as he got used to the heat. 

Now both father and son had a very nice view of Yuuri cleaning his hair and body in front of them. Viktor had to look away for a few moments to calm his nether regions before he dared look back. The man himself had turned his back to them and closed the glass door to give them a little privacy, so he didn't see how intently he was being watched. He simply assumed that they were enjoying the onsen or playing around in the water. Today it had been Leo who accidentally spilled his food on him, so he was dedicating extra attention to left side. 

“Yurio, why don’t you tell your father about the festival? You had a candy apple, right?” Yuuri slid the door open a crack and hoped that he could somehow get a conversation going for the family of two. He splashed his hair with water and finally looked at them. He had to squint a little without his glasses, but he saw Viktor splash some water at Yurio and Yurio growling in response. 

‘So they’ve been playing...' He chuckled to himself. 'I’m worrying over nothing.’

Viktor put Yurio on his lap, and the small boy slapped Viktor’s cheek and told him to "look away from Yuuri-sensei already!" which was something he hadn't done since Yuuri brought Yurio out. 

Viktor thought that he couldn't really be blamed. Yuuri had muscle in all the right places, and it made Viktor drool. Even his stomach had a little muscle, despite its soft look. Yuuri was a little shorter than Viktor too, and that made him even more perfect. He could feel it when he hugged Yuuri, the way their bodies fit together perfectly. He could get drunk on Yuuri's scent alone, stay like that forever, and-

Okay, Viktor had to stop this. Yurio had been loudly yelling “pervert” in Russian for the past few minutes, and Yuuri was looking at them questioningly. Luckily Yuuri didn’t understand their language, but Viktor was sure the young man would run for the hills if he knew what Yurio had been saying. In other words, it was probably time to stop proving his son right. 

Yuuri sped up the rinsing process a little to get out of the bath as soon as he could. He got the feeling that he might have to mediate a conflict or two, judging by Yurio's yelling, but he still planned to soak on the furthest side of the onsen to give the family their well deserved time together. Anyway, he was a bit tired after carrying five year old children all day and looking after his kindergarteners. He need to relax his muscles a bit and heal his fatigue. 

When Yuuri was done cleaning himself, he moved into the onsen, making sure to choose the corner as far as possible from Viktor and Yurio. He kept his towel wrapped around his hips because, although he'd agreed to bathe mostly naked in front of his employer, he drew the line at being without a towel at least. Otherwise he was sure he'd die of embarrassment. 

But as soon as Yuuri stepped into the water, Yurio started wading towards him with the intention of sitting on his lap. The action earned a jealous look from Viktor, to which Yuuri could only respond with an awkward smile. It only made sense that Viktor would be jealous that his own son had picked someone else's lap to sit on, but Yuuri couldn't just shove a five year old off of him. 

In truth, Viktor actually wanted to feel Yuuri’s lap for himself, especially after Yurio had bragged to him about how soft it was and how nice it was to sleep on. He almost bit the towel he'd put in his hair. Yurio smirked at him. It was rare to see that kind of agonizing expression on his father, the carefree playboy who always got anyone he wanted. 

Viktor began moving as well, closing in on his son and his son's teacher. “Yuuri, we should get together and do this more often. I've heard it said that people grow closer when they bathe together in a hot spring.”

Yuuri backed off a little, laughing awkwardly and tightening his hold on Yurio subconsciously because he had no idea how to respond to Viktor when he looked so serious. It was rare for him, undoubtedly. 

“I want to get closer to you Yuuri. I want to know everything about you.”

Yuuri avert his eyes somewhere, everywhere except Viktor, “Uhh, basicaly you’ve know my home…you know my name…and my favorite food.”

“But that’s not everything Yuuri! For example, I don’t know what type do you prefer? Do you have any lover? Please answer me Yuuri. I can’t go to sleep without knowing it tonight.”

The younger one blush, shutting his eyes, unable to contain his embarrassement. Why he ask about lover again? He never had one so he is embarrassed to answer Viktor.

Viktor nudged his shoulder, putting his arms around Yuuri, “Speaking of which, we should sleep together tonight. Yurio would choose to sleep with you so I had to come over since I’ll be jealous.” 

Yuuri try to hide behind Yurio but can’t since he is practically bigger than the five year old boy. He was sure to get nose bleed. But did Viktor really had somekind of interest to him? Why? he’s boring. Viktor would get bored of him quickly. Yuuri gave an unsure look to the older one. He feel Viktor is definitely flirting with him but why? He didn’t understand! 

“Ah, uh it’s getting hotter right now so maybe I should rinse off…” Yuuri put Yurio down beside Viktor then stand up quickly but Viktor held his movement. Viktor didn't want the man to slip away so he pulled the younger one down quickly until Yuuri rested on top of him.

“Don’t go Yuuri,” he move his legs between the younger one’s thigh, pulling them apart, “If you run I would just chase you around.”

Yuuri’s eyes widen up in surprise, caught up off guard. He is sure he would die, he never dreamed the man he admire would say something like this to him. He was sure to faint right there if only he didn’t notice Yurio’s glare. That bring him back to reality, no. This is inappropriate, a children shouldn’t see something like this. He had failed as a teacher. Yuuri paled.

The blond boy is being ignored by both of them so he glare at them. Pouting with grumpy look on his face, suddenly he splashed water to both Yuuri and Viktor. Angry, growling to them.

Yuuri quickly crawled to the blond boy, saying sorry. Wondering what to do since he never encountered any kind of situation like this.

The smaller one huffed in annoyed expression, “If you marry papa, sensei won’t go anywhere right.”

Yuuri froze to hear that coming from the boy. Viktor turned sparkly eyes at him, not expecting Yurio to say that. 

“But you’ll take care papa more than me, so sensei should marry me instead of papa.”

Viktor face palmed, not really surprised the boy would say that. He’s being too hopeful. This is Yurio, his worst enemy to get Yuuri.

“W-wait, I won’t marry anyone-“

“Do you hate me sensei?”

“N-no, I’d never hate you Yurio.”

“So sensei can marry me right? J.J. nor Minami won’t get any chance to get you. I don’t want sensei to leave.”

“B-but I’m your teacher and your caretaker until Viktor find any replacement-“

Suddenly he feel Viktor slipped to his back, hugging him from behind tightly. 

“Aah, actually I want to wait a little longer before telling you this.”

Yuuri try to move but Viktor kept him in place.

“I’m sorry Yuuri, but I didn’t find any replacement for you yet. Nor I want to replace you with anyone.”

“What?”

Yuuri repeated, “What do you mean?”

Viktor sighed, tighting his arms around Yuuri, making sure he can’t go anywhere.

“I’ve been looking for several months but I can’t find one that as much capable as you. On the third months I give up. There’s no one that can replace you. You could see Yurio like you, and of course I’ve grown to like you too. I don’t want anyone but you. So please stay, don’t go anywhere, stay close to me.”

Yuuri try to get away by laughing, he thought Viktor is joking, “Haha, but there’s many people who is more skillful than me, you’ll definitely find one Viktor.”

Yuuri gasped when Viktor plant a kiss on the back of his neck. He flailed his hand around.

“Viktor! It’s not funny at a-“

“In case you don’t know that I’m serious. I love you Yuuri.” 

The young man stopped moving. He even forgot to breathe.

There’s a pregnant silence for quite a time, Viktor is unsure Yuuri hear that quite right. Is it too soon to tell him that? But it has been 4 months! Viktor has done everything he could to show his interest on Yuuri but the younger one didn’t notice it one bit. Well maybe he is but he denied it. 

But why? Yuuri is pretty and very pure! He’s perfect for him! Why can’t Yuuri see that? Why he denied him? He could see Yuuri is interested in him too from the way he blushed or turns red when he’s close to him. Viktor screamed in his mind. Suddenly he feel Yuuri shifted from his hold, trying to get away from Viktor. Viktor reluctantly let him. The man stands up directly, looking at him with red face.

“S-sorry, I need time…to process everything,” he frowned, doesn’t quite believe what the older one just said to him. 

‘With time Viktor will know I’m not that interesting to keep around. Maybe he’ll find another gorgeous looking woman…or man more than him. Time will tell. Don’t get your hope up Yuuri,’ He tells himself repeatedly before give a smile to both father and son who stared worryingly at him.

“I’m going to rinse off. And don’t forget your time limit Viktor. There’s another guest who will come to the inn just to eat or bath. Make sure to use your mask.”

Yurio walked to him, touching his thigh. He noticed his gesture that the boy want to rinse off too. Yuuri crouch down then carry him back to the changing area, leaving Viktor who still stared into the blank space. Touching his forehead. He feel dizzy. Has he been too long soaked in it or he just feel sad because Yuuri sounds a bit cold after he told him that? 

Most people would always say yes right after Viktor tell them he likes them. This is the first time he had to wait for so long like this. 

it’s okay. Time will tell how serious Viktor is. He’ll wait for him. Viktor will wait for Yuuri. He’ll wait for him until he answer him. He soaked inside the water again try to calm his mind.

 

\-----

 

Yuuri try to breathe, one, two, three. But he came back having short breath again. After quite time he finally calm his mind down. Viktor look serious. What should he do? He’s weak with force and people coming straight to him like this. What should he do? 

He’s fairly new to this. But isn’t it innappropriate to have relatioship with your employer? More over your student’s father? Although he is actually single. And what about the media? He’s not ready for this. He can’t do this. As he thought it is better to reject Viktor since he’ll get bored of him eventualy. 

Yeah, it’s better like that. It’s better to end things quickly than letting it grow until it got to big to cut off.

Yuuri was about to walk and meet him but he can’t. He can’t possibly just reject him like that since Yuuri has been crushing on him since he’s twelve. He hate himself. Why he’s se indecisive. Yuuri still tangled with his mind when he feel a light kick from his side.

Yurio is there wearing his leopard print clothes, he guessed Yuuri had been on his mind because of what his papa said in the onsen. The boy look quite worried.

“I don’t care if you marry papa or me, I only want you to stay,” he hugged the side of Yuuri’s feet he just kick, “Don’t go anywhere sensei.”

Yuuri really regret he didn’t bring his camera with him. 

 

.....

 

Viktor earned a strange gaze from people who walk passed him. He noticed a few people steal a glance at him when he looked back. He wear surgical mask to cover his face and wearing the inn robes with towel covering his hair. He’s a foreigner…with strange looking fashion sense right now. That makes him quite a rare sight since mostly foreigner come at autumn/ winter time. But he’s here in summer. But what can he do since he missed Yuuri and his son already. Anyway He got to meet Yuuri’s mom, such a wonderful lady but she still looked at him suspiciously sometimes. But she got warmer when she know that Yurio is his son and actually quite worried if he had any disease since he even wear the mask inside the inn, Viktor chuckle a bit. Somehow he enjoyed when people doesn’t notice who he is. 

His back slumped a bit when he remember Yuuri’s slight rejection to him in the onsen. He never thought to get that kind of reaction which made his confident self a bit withered. He sit in the middle of his room, thinking about Yuuri.

Viktor didn’t notice Makkachin already sitting beside him together with smaller poodle in his room, his new friend. The silver haired man smiled at the smaller one, giving his finger so the poodle would notice his scent. The smaller one definitely one shy dog almost like Yuuri. It took quite a time until the poodle want to sit on his lap. Viktor gently squeezed him, hoping it is Yuuri. It’s like holding a baby Makkachin. So cute. Is this Yuuri’s dog he ever mentioned before? Makkachin definitely like him. They played noisily inside his room, and not too long after that he hears the door slides in, Yurio came in with Yuuri. 

The boy looked at him with slightly angry face, nothing new. But Yuuri didn’t meet his eyes. Viktor did notice his red ear, but he look somehow distant. Yuuri saw Vicchan is there playing with Makkachin, relieved since the bigger one is gentle towards Vicchan.

“Yuuri, did you need to talk something with me? I’m here to listen.” 

The man meet his eyes for a second, before Yuuri look away. After a moment he sighed, sitting down in front of him, Vicchan sat on him. Making him smile a bit.

“I..need time. I had many things to think off. I’m sorry Viktor. I’ve never been in a relationship before. It made me uncomfortable. I’m not ready. I’m sorry.”

He almost see Viktor’s sad face, like he knew this would happen. But instead he gave reassuring smile to him.

“I’ll give you as much time as you needed Yuuri. Please don’t be sorry, and please don’t answer me now. I want you to think about it seriously. I’m sorry that my feeling surprised you. I just want to say that I’m serious. I will wait for you as long as you want.”

Viktor is surprised since Yuuri’s eyes turned sad, the young man said in his mind, ‘how much time you need until you got bored with me Viktor?’

None of them said anything after that, making the air inside the room feel awkward.

“Um…the dinner is almost ready, I can bring it here for you…since you can’t took off your mask at the dining room. There are some people downstairs…” 

Viktor gave him an understanding look, “Ah, okay, I’ll eat here then. Please eat with us Yuuri I’ll be waiting here with Yurio,” he is back to his cheerful self. He must look happy so Yuuri doesn’t need to feel awkward again. Yuuri turn back at him, looking somewhat relieved.

“But I have to help around downstairs…I’ll be back when I’m finished there.”

Viktor nodded, hiding his disappointment. His eyes lingered towards the now empty spot, where Yuuri had been before. Makkachin nudge his side, feeling his stress. 

Yurio is strangely silent entire time Viktor talked with Yuuri. He only sit on one of the pillow and waiting with his head on the table not saying anything.

First is J.J. then Minami then his own father. Yurio is tired. Yuuri doesn’t want to marry his papa then what to do now to keep him close? Sensei said he need time, but he looked sad though, he doesn’t know if his papa is patient enough to wait. Maybe he will looked for another one and abandon Yuuri during the time. His father would bring home some different girls and his relationship only last for several week. But since he met Yuuri he stopped, his father already tried to flirt with Yuuri but since Yuuri is quite dense so he didn’t notice it, mostly leaving his father frustrated after another flirting attempt failed (mostly thanks to Yurio though).

Seeing his father looked spiritless like this made Yurio somehow pitying him. He never see his father like that. Is he really that serious for Yuuri? Now he slumped against the table with Makkachin whined beside him. The smaller one licking his hand, try to cheer him up. 

Viktor noticed the small poodle licked his hand repeatedly, “I didn’t ask Yuuri for your name yet. I wondered what kind of name he gave you. You look so cute.” 

Viktor pat both of them when he heard a door sliding open. There stand Yuuri who bring food for both of them. 

“My mom cooked this, I hope both of you like it,” Vicchan ran up to him with Makkachin following, sniffing the smell of food. Both father and son turned sparkly eyes at the smell.

“Both of you go down, the dog food is at the kitchen,” Yuuri said when he put down the food to Viktor and Yurio. 

“I’ll go back to pick up the tray. Vicchan, Makkachin, let’s go.”

Viktor grinned at Yuuri, “So his name is Vicchan, what a cute name!”

Yuuri halted his movement turned pale a bit. He totally forgot he named his dog Viktor…

“Y-yes, I named him Vicchan. It’s…cute…” Yuuri laughed a little since Vicchan come at the mention of his name, Makkachin following him. 

“I…am going. See you later.” 

Yuuri quickly closed the door with both dogs following him, relieved when he finally out of Viktor’s sight. At the end of the corridor he heard loud ‘vkusno’ coming from Viktor making him chuckle a bit. Yuuri is walking with expressionless eyes, for a second he look happy but later he turned sad, now he only need to wait until Viktor had new crush and forgetting him. He know from the magazines and news how fast he changed girls, but at least he could be proud Viktor ever choose him to be one. 

He laugh, then sighed since he doesn’t know he could feel this hurt when he knew the man would actually forget him then change his attention to someone new. He doesn’t know how to feel when that happen right before his eyes. Maybe he will cry, but then he will move on. He never really thought someone would actually liked him. He can’t imagine nor relate to that. He’s always been alone.

Yuuri snapped out of his though when Vicchan nuzzling his feet, wagging his tail happily. Well at least there is one Viktor who already love him unconditionally. Yuuri smiled at his dog, patting his soft fur. He pour the dog food to both of them, making them barked in happy sound. 

 

.....

 

“Is it true that Mr. Nikiforov isn’t in Russia for quite a time?”

“We heard he is in Japan right now.”

“But isn’t he in Tokyo? His agency branch is there, so I doubt he isn’t in Tokyo,” another reporter barged in, ready to join the conversation.

“Yes, I doubt he choose small town, he likes busy city life! We should re-check Ropponggi Hills.”

“He had been out of Russia for almost a year and half but we still don’t know where he actually resided!”

“We should trace his kid’s school and social media account. There’s not that many foreigner around here.” There’s a big uproar in Russia and reporter in Japan tried to trace where the charismatic man lived. They tried to find Viktor and interviewing him about his sudden decision to resided in Japan for quite a time. 

“We should ask lilia Baranovskaya, some people actually saw her recently in Narita airport!”

“But we didn’t see Mr. Nikiforov there. I bet he takes another plane,” The reporter who has been at Narita said that, telling them about what happened there.

“We only saw Mr. Popovich and Mrs. Lilia there.”

One of the reporter asking them where is Viktor but when they tried to interview them Lilia only gave them a sharp glare.

“If you know where he is right now let me know too,” then she walked away. She looks mad, Georgi following her with several luggage trailing behind him.

 

....

 

 

Viktor whistle looking at the news, seems Lilia really look angry. Usually the reporter are ready to ask more but none of them had the courage to do it this time. 

Since Lilia became his manager the numbers of his nosy reporter seems decreased a lot. That’s why he love Lilia, she did a great job but Viktor only hoped she toned down her sharp words and action towards him. 

It has started. The media needs more news to feed on. He just hoped they didn’t bother Yurio nor Yuuri. He hoped there’s nothing happened to them and no people actually noticed them here. Yuuri said he only told Minako about his whereabouts and promised to keep silent all about it. And there’s Yuuko his pet sitter who almost squealed in delight when the mask fall of Viktor’s face because Makkachin pushed them off. She hasn’t told anyone about him, not even her family. 

Yakov already covered his name for Yurio’s parent. Seems he could trust these people but then he remembered there’s this one Yurio’s ex-caretakers who keep pestering him for money recently. He hoped Lilia can take care of that woman. 

He already forgot who it is but he remember Yurio really hated that woman. Viktor already change the lock to his home every time the new caretakers come, so the last one can’t come to his place again. He will have to change his lock again just to be careful nothing happened to both Yuuri and Yurio while he isn’t there since Viktor didn’t change it yet after the last caretakers quit.

Viktor only given much time to spent his in silent. He will have to go back to his old life where people swarmed around him. And by the time that happened, he really hoped Yuuri to be by his side since he didn’t know how he can balance his life to chase Yuuri with media behind his back. Everything he does will be published everywhere and he didn’t want Yuuri to back away when he see that. 

He is racing with time. He hoped Yuuri didn’t need that much time to come with his decision. Though Viktor didn’t know how to continue with life if Yuuri really reject him. He never want someone this much before, so he didn’t know how to really go with it. But he will do whatever it takes to get him. He want him. He need him. 

But the man totally clueless about what to do now when Yuuri told him to wait. Viktor sighed, combing his fringe back to its place.

“I will wait,” he closed his eyes, feeling anxious in his mind.

“I will wait for him. Brace yourself Viktor.”

 

......

 

That night Yurio snuck in Yuuri’s bed with Viktor trailed behind him with Makkachin. He said he will wait but he can’t miss the chance to actually cuddling with the younger one. Surprisingly Yuuri is too deep in sleep until he didn’t notice there’s two figure snuck inside his blanket that night.

Viktor cozily spooned him with Yurio in Yuuri’s arms because the bed is actually a single bed but big enough for two people to sleep on it, Yurio is small so he can slip in easily. It’s crowded and hot but Viktor is really happy. He got the chance to drowned on Yuuri’s calming scent and enjoyed his sleeping face. At some times he is curious to cope a feel to Yuuri’s soft butt. He really is jealous of that man who squeezed them before in photo he saw at pichit-chu instagram.

So Viktor does it. Squeezing them but he can’t stop once he done it once. He want to sleep on it, it would be perfect pillow for him. It so soft Viktor could do this forever if Yuuri didn’t stir on his sleep, frowned a bit, disturbed by Viktor’s act. 

Luckily he didn’t wake up so Viktor rested his hand on the younger one’s belly. He doesn’t care what Yuuri could say in the morning when he woke up, he just want to sleep side by side with him. Surprisingly Yurio didn’t care at his papa’s act to his favorite teacher, usually he would’ve slapped his hand away from Yuuri or yelling at him but he is quiet. Maybe he actually pity him since Viktor look quite desperate every time he told him story about Yuuri’s asset.

Makkachin slept on the bed right beside Vicchan at the bottom of the bed, warming their feet. The dog look very calm they dozed to sleep fast. Viktor feel sleepy as well, he must be tired from finishing fast and sneaking away from the staff and Lilia today. He kissed Yuuri’s side head, dozing away feeling complete in his heart. 

 

.......

 

It’s morning already, and Yuuri feel cramped. He want to move but can’t, it’s like something heavy actually pressed on him until he can’t move. He noticed something tickling his chin, looks like Yurio is here not to mention his feet is warm, a bit ticklish, maybe Vicchan is there. His body feel hot especially his back. He feel light snore coming from behind him. Suddenly Yuuri straighten his back, wait, this expensive kind of scent isn’t this Viktor’s? 

He moved his head to looked at his back, he meet big broad chest and the arms around him tightened up. Yuuri froze looking at Viktor’s sleeping figure, hugging him tightly against his body. Rubbing his cheek against his forehead.

No. No. No. How could this happened? He was sure he dose away after he finished with his job last night and bid the father and son good night before retiring to his room. He was sure he goes to bed alone but how can he ended up with…4 extras when he woke up? He noticed Makkachin is also there curling together at his feet with Vicchan. So… Does Yurio show Viktor his room since he know Viktor didn’t know where his bedroom located.

Yuuri want to dose away thinking if he sleep he will wake up from his dream. So he tried. Until Viktor actually stirred against him, even if he is dreaming he can’t stand this embarrassing moment anymore! 

Yuuri sit straight up making Viktor whined at the loss of him, Yurio opened his eyes with questioning look. 

“Sensei, it’s only Saturday,” the boy rubbed his sleepy eyes noticing Viktor still laying on his back, sleeping soundly.

“Y-yurio, why are you here, no, why Viktor is also here? I thought you’re going to sleep with him yesterday?”

The boy humped at him, “Why should I sleep with him when sensei is also here?”

Viktor groaned from the noise he slowly opened his eyes. When he met Yuuri’s he smiled happily. No signs of guilt or awkwardness from him.

“Good morning Yuuri~ I bet you had good night sleep.” 

Yuuri quickly scrambled away from both father and son to the wall at the corner of his room. Vicchan barked at him feeling light stress coming from Yuuri.

“W-why do you come with…Yurio and sleep here? M-my bed is small and isn’t that comfortable to sleep with…”

“Yuuri didn’t want to sleep with me? I’m hurt Yuuri,” he gave sad look to him, making the young man guilty.

“I’m lonely inside the room because Yurio choose to sleep with you. Makkachin is going too looking for Vicchan inside your room. I don’t want to be alone!” Viktor whined to Yuuri, coming to him then hugged him tightly, “Don’t leave me alone Yuuri, what to do when my dog and son is all over you, I’m so lonely please stay close to me Yuuri.”

Yuuri suddenly feeling hard to breathe, Viktor is hugging him again when he didn’t have ability to process that he just sleep with Viktor’s arms all around him. 

Today Viktor will go home with Yurio and Makkachin. Then he can think about what to do with Viktor’s feeling and his job. It’s only a little time before they go home. A little time until he can be alone. 

This is only Viktor’s tendency to be touchy feely like usual. Even when he sleep with him. Be strong Yuuri. 

‘Be still my heart.’


	6. Feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is more Viktor and less Yuuri's part

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there, now is sunday at my time so here's another chapter for you.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter and as always thank you for @Ninjassasin8 work for beta-ing my story XD
> 
> I'm getting out of here now, see you ^^

Of course, Lilia scolded him when he got home. She'd actually waited for Viktor at his house, angry enough to kill the man if he hadn't been under her protection. Georgi had dragged his luggage into his room, and Viktor had asked Yurio to wait in his own room until Lilia was finished screeching at him. 

Honestly, these were Viktor's usual antics. It wasn't rare for him to disappear without a word for days, only to resurface as if nothing had happened. Although Lilia was angry, she knew with certainty that Viktor would never actually just leave his work. At the very least, he always finished it properly before he flew off to God knew where. Nevertheless, just because this was normal didn't mean he was allowed to get away completely unscathed. She couldn't be lenient when it came to discipline, after all, so she scolded him and chastised him about focusing on his job. Unfortunately, Viktor's mind was currently preferring to focus on a certain Japanese man who made his heart clench every time he thought about him. 

"I know, I know, I hear what you're saying Lilia, but there's been someone on my mind lately." 

“Then get that person off your mind! I’m not tolerating this!”

Viktor frowned at her. "I've tried, but I can't just 'get him off my mind!' He's earned a special place there."

“I just took care of that pesky money grubbing ex-caretaker, and now there's this? Just tell me who it is, I'll bring him here right now if it'll make you straighten your priorities!"

"He needs some space right now... And honestly, I think I like my priorities the way they are." His words were suprisingly tender. 

Upon seeing Viktor's dreamy smile, Lilia sighed heavily.

“You’ll be bored after a few weeks.”

Viktor gave her a sharp look. “Yuuri is different. I can feel it.”

She moved closer to the couch, glaring at him.

“We’ll see how long you'll be interested in this ‘Yuuri’ person.”

Viktor clenched his teeth. She was wrong, he just knew it. Lilia was making judgements based on his previous romantic ventures, and admittedly he had never been able to maintain any long term relationships. No woman or man had been able to keep his interest for more than a few weeks, but Yuuri was different. It had already been several months, and Viktor’s feelings had only gotten stronger. He hadn't expected to fall this hard. If Yuuri agreed to be in a relationship with him, he'd be sure to grasp it, nurture it, and never let go. He never knew that anyone could ever be this precious and dear to him. He didn’t want anything but Yuuri's attention and happiness. He couldn't afford to lose him.

“I’ll be heading back to the studio. Next time you disappear, just tell us where you are and we won't need to stake out your home. It's our job to make sure you aren't lying dead somewhere. The media has been noisy recently.”

“Yeah, I’ve noticed it too.”

“Just be careful. For your son. And that Yuuri person too, if you care about him so much.”

Viktor looked up, meeting Lilia with determined eyes.

“I’ll do my best.”

Lilia nodded. She flung her bag onto her shoulder and called for Georgi. The man quickly ran to her, nodding at Viktor.

“I’ve put your luggage in your room. Make sure you eat well! We'll pick you up on Monday at seven.”

Viktor wanted to groan. He had a job on Monday, and a busy one at that. He had been hoping to see Yuuri that day in hope that he would have an answer. 

The door clicked as Lilia and Georgi exited the place, and Viktor's eyes went to the food that Lilia had brought for him. Convenience store bento.

Sighing heavily, Viktor slumped on the sofa. He wanted Yuuri’s food.

Viktor chuckled at the thought. It had barely been two hours and he already missed Yuuri. How should he spend the rest of his day now?

Viktor turned on his phone, scrolling through his Instagram. There was nothing interesting, so he scrolled through Phichit+chu’s feed. He stayed there until Yurio yelled that he was hungry, by the time he noticed, it was already around dinner time. 

...

It had been almost three months. The air had begun to get colder and more snow had begun to fall as November approached its end, but Yuuri had yet to answer him. Yurio had begun his ballet lessons at the Okukawa Ballet center and was studying under the amazing Minako Okukawa, Yuuri's ballet teacher. Yurio had grace and flexibility that made him a natural at ballet, and he quickly gained Otabek's admiration as they practiced more together. Minako was just happy to have students as talented as Otabek and Yurio. It had been a while since she'd had a pair that worked together as well as Yuuri and Yuuko. If only Yurio could tone down his rebellious tendencies, he would be the perfect student. At least she had Yuuri to keep him under control. 

Thanks to Yurio's status as a ballet student, Yuuri too now had some time to practice. The younger kids stared in awe when Yuuri danced. Yurio was among the students who admired him, but he was never one to admit defeat, so he was just the slightest bit colder to Yuuri. His dancing was so beautiful that it moved his heart, and Otabek nodded in agreement as they watched Yuuri practice through the door. 

By then, all it took was a simple "Yuuri was never like that, he always listened to me," or a "Yuuri can do this because he took my advice" to get Yurio to be a little more compliant. 

On days when Yuuri went home early, Yurio would gush about Yuuri's dancing to Viktor. He would go on and on about him, and Viktor would listen eagerly, promising himself that someday he’d find a chance to watch one of Yuuri’s ballet routines.

Yurio secretly snapped some pictures of Yuuri doing ballet moves too, but when Yuuri noticed and asked what they were for, Yurio answered that they were references for his own practice. Of course Yurio sent them all to Viktor too. 

Viktor almost spit out his coffee when he got some of Yurio's pictures in the middle of a job. He almost ruined the $5,000 jacket that he was wearing for the photoshoot. He could practically hear his son's excitement in the photos he took, ‘This is amazing! So pretty! But I’ll beat him one day!’ It was rare for the boy to be this excited. Viktor tapped one of the pictures for a better look. 

“That’s a lovely fourth position.”

Viktor almost spilled his coffee again when Lilia suddenly appeared behind him.

“Is this the person who's been occupying your mind lately?” she hummed with her eyes on Viktor's screen. Viktor quickly covered his phone with hands, hiding it. A voice in the back of his mind asked him why he was so quick to hide the image. 

The woman stared at him, curiosity piqued as she observed his unsual expression and actions. Usually Viktor bragged about his new lovers and showed off any photos eagerly. But this time he hadn't hesitated to hide it, like it was a precious treasure at risk of being stolen. 

“So, how long have you been in this relationship?"

Viktor turned away at that, sighing heavily.

“Actually, I confessed three months ago, but he still hasn't answered me.”

This time Lilia squinted her well-shaped eyebrows. 

This was unexpected. Who would've thought that someone out there could make a world famous star like Viktor Nikiforov act in such a way? She was interested in seeing what kind of man could make Viktor completely crazy for him. These past seven months, he had been asking her about ballet, whining about some food called "katsudon," and finishing his work early whenever possible. These days Viktor whined loudly when he heard that he would have to fly away from Hasetsu for several days, and he almost always snuck back into town little early. During the last trip, he didn’t even attend the after party despite being the main actor. Lilia had to cover for him and Georgi almost cried because he couldn’t prevent the man from leaving most of his luggage when he disappeared. Lately she had been catching him stalking the man through a kindergartener's Instagram feed during his breaks too. It was all for that caretaker, and for months Lilia had questioned Viktor's judgement. 

After convincing Viktor to let her see some more of the pictures on his phone, she felt that she was beginning to understand. 

Putting aside her concerns about the number of photos Viktor had saved of this man, Lilia couldn't help but think he had an aura that attracted people. A number of his photos depicted him smiling gently, surrounded by excited children. Not to mention his ballet moves looked beautiful and graceful, even in static snapshots. If he ever decided to step into the world of entertainment, she would accept it. After all, this was the man who had reduced Viktor Nikiforov to a pining zombie off camera. 

In truth, the main issue had less to do with the character of the man Viktor was infatuated with and more to do with the safety of Viktor's privacy. She had already had to stop Viktor from liking so many of these pictures because some reporters were getting suspicious of how many posts Viktor had liked with the #Hasetsu tag. Not to mention he liked all of Phichit+chu’s photos of Yuuri, making his fans wonder just who the man filling up Viktor's feed was. There were already several reporters in Hasetsu ready to confirm his whereabouts.

The woman sighed. The quality of his work hadn't suffered, but being like this off camera couldn't be healthy. Maybe she should give him a break? Maintaining the mental health of her client was part of her job too. She wondered how Viktor would go on. He would need to be away from Hasetsu for a while if he wanted to keep the media from finding out where he lived. 

...

Viktor was on his way home, scrolling through Yuuri’s photos on Phichit+chu’s profile. He really wanted to meet this Phichit kid and thank him for gracing the world with all these lovely photos. The kid had great taste. Viktor was even able to keep up with Yurio at school because his son practically never left Yuuri's lap. He wanted to hit the like button so many times, but Lilia had already scolded him for that.

Viktor groaned. Damn reporters, they were like vultures when it came to news and gossip. Viktor slumped in the back seat of the car, massaging his temples tiredly.

He was running out of time. Viktor had more or less spent the past seven months waiting for Yuuri to come around, and he genuinely didn't mind giving Yuuri as much time as he needed, but with reporters looking for him in Hasetsu now, he was starting to feel cornered. It wasn't good.

Suddenly he heard Georgi moving in the driver’s seat. 

“We’re here,” Georgi said, shifting the gear into "park" and gesturing at the tall building that they were in front of. 

Viktor almost left the car without his mask and glasses, making Georgi scream. 

“We need to be extra careful, Viktor! Now is not the time to be careless! Lilia would be furious if she saw this!”

Viktor nodded as he pulled on his disguise, not really listening as his mind remained occupied with a certain someone. 

He walked spiritlessly into the building, almost dropping his card key. He slapped his cheeks to regain control of his expression. Yuuri hadn't mentioned Viktor's confession since the day it happened, and Viktor understood that he might need more time, but it was for that very reason that he couldn't let Yuuri see him down. 

Viktor swiped his key card on the door and let it swing open. Makkachin was already there to jump on him. He smiled, hugging his lovely dog. Not too long after, he heard quick footsteps running towards him. There stood his son with an excited look.

“Papa, we're going on a field trip this winter! We're gonna go skiing at a mountain!" 

Viktor snapped his head up at his son’s words.

“Skiing? Where???" He had a project in the Tara mountains in late November. "Is Yuuri coming too?”

Yuuri, who had just left the bathroom, walked into the room in time to hear Viktor's question. 

“Yes, I’m going. I’m his teacher, so I have to be there to watch the students.”

“When is it?” Viktor dared to hope that the date would fall one of his rare free days. 

“It’s on the December 1st. We'll be going for three days.”

Viktor’s heart sank a little. He was scheduled to work from November 28th to December 1st... Well, he had one more chance...

“Well, I'm doing some work at a ski resort in the Saga prefecture around then! Quite the coincidence, don't you think? Where's your field trip going to be?"

Yuuri’s eyes widened, not quite believing his ears. “W-wait, we’re going to Saga too! Does mean you can leave with us?”

Viktor’s heart skipped a beat. Did Yuuri just imply that he’d like them to leave together? Viktor was ecstatic, but then he remembered that he was supposed to be there three days earlier. Maybe he could head home to Hasetsu early and fly back to the mountains with Yuuri and his son? Viktor was completely willing to do that, but Lilia would probably draw the line at him flying home and then flying right back. 

“Actually... I’ll be leaving at on November 28th, and then I'm supposed to be back in Hasetsu on the 30th… But I can try to extend my time there! I want us to ski together!” It didn't matter what he was doing, as long as he was spending time with his family and Yuuri. Also, a cozy winter vacation lodge sounded like a great place to talk about their feelings.

“Oh... Please don’t let us put a strain on your schedule, Viktor, I know you’re busy. I’ll look after Yurio, and I'll be sure to send lots of pictures!”

Yuuri gave him determined look, as if he was saying, ‘please depend on me.' Viktor’s heart clenched at the sight. How adorable, he really wanted to kiss Yuuri… Instead, he pulled the man into a tight hug.

"Yuuri~” he said, nudging his hair into Yuuri’s cheek. “When haven't you done a fantastic job of looking after Yurio? I trust you, and you always do your best, so I know I don't even need to ask that of you.” 

Yuuri’s heart tightened at Viktor's words. He considered pushing Viktor away, but he found that he didn't have the heart to do it. After three months, he had been hoping that Viktor was beginning to realize how cursory any romantic feelings he had for Yuuri must have been. If Yuuri was being honest, Viktor didn't look all that different, just a bit gloomier... But he did notice that Viktor was coming home ealier these days. Not every day, but Yuuri saw him more often. It was a little awkward because every time he saw Viktor, he was reminded him of his confession three months ago. Viktor was clinger and quieter too, as if he had a lot on his mind. 

Yuuri moved back a bit, but Viktor followed. He flailed internally, he never knew what to do with his hands when Viktor got like this. “Um, Viktor…ple-please, do you think you could m-mov- hey! Are you hungry? The food is on the table.”

Viktor twitched at the mention of food but tightened his hand on Yuuri’s back.

“What did you cook today, Yuuri?” The fact that Yuuri never forgot his portion always made Viktor infinitely happy. Viktor moved back a bit to get a look at Yuuri's face.

The younger man scratched his cheek shyly. “Um.. Omelet Rice... Yurio wanted his with flag on it, so yours has one too…”

Viktor grinned happily. His Yuuri was so cute, so adorable... Viktor moved in closer and closer until their lips were almost touching-

Kick. Kick. Kick. 

Why he wasn't surprised…

Yurio. Of course. Oh well, time for revenge~ 

Viktor turned to hug his small angry son.

“Hey there, Yurio! Did you miss me~” Viktor rubbed his face on the smaller one’s cheek, making Yurio even more angry. Yes, that was indeed a smirk on Viktor's face.

“Get off!! Stupid papa! Just eat and go to sleep already!”

“Oh? I didn’t know you cared about me so much Yurio, how cute~”

Yuuri moved to the dining table and unwrapped the plastic he'd put over the omelet. He smiled a bit as he watched Viktor and Yurio have their father-son moment. He chuckled, throwing the plastic away, and moved to grab Viktor a glass of water.

He had been thinking about Viktor more than usual for three months already. If he wasn't deluding himself then all signs clearly indicated that Viktor's feelings hadn't gone away. If he should accept those feelings, he still wondered if the relationship would last. Would Viktor get bored of him after he knew what it was like to have Yuuri as a lover? And if he did, then would that change Yuuri's relationship with Yurio? His current relationship with all the members of the Nikiforov household had become incredibly important to him, and he was afraid of risking that relationship with an answer to Viktor's confession. 

Yuuri shook his head and snapped out of his thoughts to look at the now unwrapped food in front of him.

“Viktor, here’s the food! It’s a bit cold, so do you want me to warm it up?” he called. Suddenly Viktor was up and walking towards the table.

“Yes please! I wanna taste your food in its best state!”

Yuuri couldn't help but chuckle at Viktor’s excited face. He was always like this over dinner. “Okay, give me just a moment...”

Yuuri put the food in the microwave and waited as the number on the display counted down. Viktor sat at the dining table, humming contentedly. The older one smiled stupidly, thinking that if Yuuri agreed to become his lover then this scene wouldn't look out of place at all. How happy he would be if that happened?

Yurio gagged at the scene in front of him. This was a pretty usual sight. His papa would be staring lovingly at Yuuri’s back, and his teacher would be smiling gently as he waited for the food to warm up. And as usual, his sensei and papa looked like a newly wed couple. He turned to his stuffed tiger on the couch, ignoring both of them. He’d just move to Otabek’s place if they didn’t stop acting like that.

The microwave dinged, and Yuuri moved to get the food out. Viktor drooled as the omelet rice came into view. None of his past lovers had ever been able to make food as well as Yuuri. Yuuri could make even the simplest of dishes into the best thing Viktor had ever tasted.

He almost cried at how good it was when he took his first bite. It made him miss his childhood, back when his mother's cooking was the first thing he smelled when he came home from school. Most of the caretakers that he'd hired in the past had never made food this homey.

“Yuuri, where did you learn to cook like this? It’s just omelet rice but I can’t stop eating it!” Viktor gobbled down his food happily as the taste flooded his mouth. 

Fixing his glasses, Yuuri smiled. “I love food, so I learned how to make different kinds of it when my parents were too busy to make it for me… I learned a lot through trial and error,” he laughed shyly. How sweet.

“This is perfect! I could eat this everyday! Ah~ I wanna eat this forever!” 

The implications of Viktor's comment made Yuuri turn a darker shade of red. When he managed to look up at Viktor again, he noticed that some grains of rice had gotten stuck on the side of Viktor's mouth. 

“Ah, Viktor, please stay still…” Yuuri moved to wipe the rice away. It was completely natural, almost automatic and innocently harmless, but then Viktor went quiet. 

When Yuuri realized what he had done, he jumped back and flailed apologetically. “I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean anything! It’s just- kids usually have food left on their faces and I just- I’m sorry for making you uncomfortable...“ Yuuri looked down.

Viktor closed his eyes and took a breath. He put his spoon down, stood up, and took a step into Yuuri's personal space.

“I wish you had meant something it, Yuuri... And don't forget, I’m not little kid. I know I'm cute, but I'm a fully grown adult.” Viktor towered over him and spoke right into his ear.

Yuuri was too embarrassed to say anything back, and Viktor chuckled. “I’m still waiting, Yuuri. I’ll keep showing you how serious I am. I'll wait as long as you need me to, and I'll never stop being in love with you."

There was silence as the younger man processed what Viktor had said to him. He was simply too close for Yuuri to concentrate, and he could practically feel his body heat pressing closer and closer. 

“I’ll wait for you, Yuuri, because you’re precious to me. But don’t keep me waiting for too long, okay? I’m afraid I might not be able to keep my hands off you that long,” he said, and then Yuuri felt a peck on his cheek. Viktor had just kissed his cheek! Yuuri’s body wobbled for a moment, but Viktor kept him in place. Suddenly they both heard something hit the ground. 

“I’m moving to Otabek's!” Yurio was stomping towards the front door.

Yuuri was relieved when Viktor released him. The older man was wailing at his son now. “No Yurio! You’re too young! I’m not allowing you to play around at other kid’s houses alone until you're at least 15!”

The boy turned back to him with an annoyed look. “Then don’t flirt in front of my eyes, stupid old man!” The boy stomped into the hallway and slammed his bedroom door when he got in. He ignored them both when they came knocking. 

“Yurio, I’m sorry, please let us in?” 

But the boy didn’t budge. It took twenty minutes of door pounding, loud pleading, and Yuuri announcing that he was leaving before Yurio opened the door again. Swiftly, he pulled Yuuri inside and slammed the door shut again. 

"Perverts don't need to come in!” he yelled in Russian before going quiet once more. 

Viktor laughed to himself, but then sighed. He was alone in the hallway now. 

“Seems he really is jealous, that Yuri…” Viktor sighed as he walked to the living room. He flopped onto the couch and huffed into the pillow. Makkachin followed him, nosing into his side, and Viktor rubbed behind his ear. They stayed like that for another thirty minutes, and Viktor wondered if he should practice his lines for an upcoming movie or something, but he didn't have the heart to try. Besides, Viktor had already memorized the lines anyway, he just needed to act out how he wanted to deliver them. 

Viktor rolled over on the couch, and the potted plants in front of him caught his eye. He stood up and took one of the large leaves into his hand. Unlike seven months ago, it was healthy and green. Back then he had been sure that these plants would never make it, but among other things, Yuuri had saved them. Viktor was about to move away when his eye caught on something papery behind the pot. He reached back to pick it up. 

Money? How did that get there? Viktor stared at Yukichi's portrait. Maybe he or Yuuri had some how dropped it back there...?

Viktor moved the potted plant and was surprised to find a whole pile of 10,000 yen notes lying there. 

Where had all this money come from? He was sure it wasn’t his, he didn't even stand in this part of the house that often. Viktor was beginning to consider the chances of the plant being magic when he remembered the look Yuuri had on whenever Viktor tried to pay him. 

Viktor tapped his forehead. “I should've just paid in bank deposits in the first place…”

The man was silent for a while, unsure of what to do. Was this really Yuuri's paycheck? Why did he put it under the plants? Viktor was feeling the weight of the bills in his hand when he heard footsteps approaching from the hall.

“Viktor, Yurio is sleeping now, so I’m gonna-“

Viktor heard a gasp interrupt the sentence. He turned around, and there stood Yuuri with a guilty look in his eyes.

“Y-you found it...” 

Seeing Yuuri's expression confirmed Viktor's guess. 

“So this really is yours, Yuuri... You know, pots aren't great places to put money for safekeeping.” There was a smile on Viktor's face, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. 

Yuuri turned a little pale. “No! I didn't- I mean I- it’s just, you gave me too much and my parents started asking questions and I couldn't say that you were you and you did look a little suspicious, but- NOT THAT YOU'RE SUSPICIOUS, BUT-"

“Yuuri," Viktor interrupted, walking towards the nervous kindergarten teacher. "I work hard for this money, you know?” he lifted Yuuri’s hand and pulled him close. “It's my choice to spend this much on your paycheck. It's my way of showing gratitude. I don't think you know how much you've helped me. Please, at least accept my sincere appreciation for everything you've done. I mean it."

Yuuri said nothing and guiltily averted his eyes. 

Viktor continued, furrowing his eyebrows a bit. “It feels like you're rejecting my heartfelt gratitude, Yuuri. Somehow, I’m a bit hurt.”

The younger man tried to put some space between them, but for every step he took back, Viktor took a step forward, until Yuuri felt the back of his legs hit the couch. They both froze, and Yuuri averted his eyes again. 

“Why did you hide it, Yuuri?” There was silence, but Viktor could see Yuuri's head stringing together words, and so he waited patiently.

“It’s because… I felt like you were giving me extra money to make sure I kept quiet about where you lived.” He would've kept quiet even if Viktor hadn't given him anything, but he couldn't help but wonder if Viktor believed that as strongly as Yuuri did. 

Viktor touched his forehead, somewhat saddened at the implication that Yuuri thought that Viktor didn't trust him enough to keep quiet about Viktor's whereabouts without some kind of bribe. That was far from why he gave Yuuri extra. The extra money was for Yuuri's food, his gentle demeanor with Yurio, and his constant, reassuring presence in Viktor's life. Yuuri didn’t know how desperate Viktor had been when he couldn't find a new caretaker for Yurio all those months ago, much like how Viktor didn't realize how lucky he had gotten when he saw a kind looking, black haired man in glasses eating with his son. He looked back on the past few months and saw each home cooked dinner, each family outing, each casual conversation he had ever had with Yuuri as a blessing and a gift that he could never repay in cash. The way Viktor saw it, his gratitude wasn't exaggerated in the slightest. 

“Why, I’m quite angry, Yuuri. There are far easier ways to keep you quiet than money." 

Yuuri gulped nervously, a little afraid now as he looked at the man in front of him.

Viktor tilted his head, moving closer to his face with serious eyes. Yuuri was blushing, and Viktor could see that he was trembling. 

"I said it before, didn't I? 'Take it, or I might just have to kiss you?' Now that you’ve gone and done this...”

All of Yuuri's senses were blocked out as Viktor dived in to capture his lips. 

His very first kiss.

At first it was soft and light, but as second passed by, it became more demanding. Viktor nibbled his lip like it was candy, licking repeatedly. After a while when Yuuri didn’t respond, Viktor looked at him. He was frozen in shock or disbelief or perhaps both. Viktor looked at him with hooded eyes. 

“Yuuri?”

‘He's serious.’

Those brilliant blue eyes stared at him intently, like he was some kind of prey. His cheeks were bright with blushing embarrassment, and he let out a breath that he hadn't realized he had been holding. He couldn't deny this, no matter how much his pessimistic side begged him to. Viktor looked so endeared and happy after kissing him.

‘He's serious!’

“I'll love you no matter what, and I promise to give you as much time as you need, but you have no idea how much I want you right now...” Viktor clung to him, hugging him tightly against his body.

“Yuuri, can I kiss you again? I really want too, please?”

Still hearing no response from the man, Viktor sighed. “I’m sorry if I surprised you, but I’ve been bottling up my urges for the past seven months. I’m sorry Yuuri, I know I’m getting impatient…” Viktor tightened his hug, and Yuuri's mind unhelpfully noted how well their bodies fit together. It felt so right... Had Viktor really wanted him for seven months? His hug was so tight, desperate almost...

He wanted to give in. He wanted to throw caution to the wind and let all of his doubts go. He wanted to kiss him. Before him stood the man who he had admired from afar for years. A man who he had come to know as a hopelessly doting father with seemingly limitless energy but very limited free time. Yuuri knew he had feelings for Viktor, and if this amazing man loved him back, then what was to keep him from agreeing to try being in a relationship with him? 

Unfortunately, he had always known the answer to that. Even with all the logic in the world, his fears and anxiety never went anywhere. 

He hated himself.

“I’ve had many lovers in the past, but none of them have made me feel as right as when I'm with you. Please Yuuri. I’ll prove myself to you. I want to love you right. Please give me a chance.” Yuuri didn't understand why Viktor was trembling against him. As if he was afraid.

Yuuri’s own hand trembled as he patted his back. “I- I'm not ready, Viktor.” He felt Viktor freeze, tightening his hug upon hearing Yuuri's response.

'I’m not ready to let someone to walk into my private life. Please understand, Viktor.' Yuuri's hand clutched Viktor’s sweater. He moved his head back, uncertain and afraid. He’d always been alone. He couldn't imagine being with someone, letting someone outside his family into his heart. 

“Please just give me more time... It's not that I don't like you, but I just can’t imagine being with you... It feels like a dream and that'll disappear when I wake up.” His voice came out shaky and muffled as he rested his head on Viktor’s shoulder, savoring the rich smell coming from him. Viktor’s scent.

“This isn’t a dream. I’m here, Yuuri.”

Viktor was afraid to let Yuuri go, but the other simply patted his back gently.

“I... I won’t go anywhere. And I won’t run this time.”

They hugged for a while before Viktor found the willpower to let go. His face looked like he was about to cry.

“I’m sorry, I’ll wait for you. My feelings haven't changed from when I confessed to you. Only they might be a bit stronger, so I might seem a little impatient sometimes.”

Yuuri blushed hard at Viktor’s words. How could such a person exist in this world? Did he really dare believe that Viktor was so amazing that he had been willing to wait three months and more for a solid answer to his confession? Not to mention, they had just kissed. Viktor had been his first kiss. He want to bury himself deep under the ground. Being kissed by your idol, how Yuuri was supposed to recover from that? 

“Yuuri, please let me know if something is bothering you. I’m ready to listen. I'll always be here for you.”

“N-no, I’m fine Viktor. It was just a little sudden… But I’m okay. And it’s already late.”

Viktor pushed back Yuuri’s bangs with sad look.

“Yes, it’s late... Please be careful on your way home, Yuuri. I wish you could just live here with us so that you wouldn't need to go all the way back to the inn every night... I wouldn't mind at all.”

Yuuri turned red at Viktor’s suggestion. Did he just offer Yuuri a place in his home...? What? He definitely wasn't ready for that.

“Yuuri? What’s wrong?” Viktor noticed Yuuri turn stiff for a minute before responding by shaking his head. 

“It’s nothing! I- I just need to get going right now! See you later, Viktor!”

Viktor pulled his hand back and Yuuri was gone in a second. Despite having been a little more distant these past three months, Yuuri still wasn't ready... Viktor understood, but he was a little disheartened nonetheless. 

“Nobody’s ready, Yuuri, no one is...” He looked up at the ceiling, lost in thought. "I’m not ready for you to reject me,” he said to himself sullenly. 

“How would I continue without you?”

...

Yuuri ran as fast as he could from the door to the elevator and then from the elevator to the lobby. He needed to calm the butterflies that were fluttering in his stomach. He caught his breath as the revolving doors of the hotel entrance came into view. As he left the building, Yuuri had to fan himself in hopes of reducing some of the redness in his cheeks. 

Just as he was about to exit the building’s front yard, someone suddenly tapped his shoulder. Yuuri turned to see who it was.

There he saw a smiling man, dressed in a suit and hat.

“Excuse me, do you live in this building?” 

Yuuri frowned at that. “N-no, I just work here, and I’m going home right now.”

The man squinted his eyes. “You look familiar... Do I know you?”

“No, I don't believe we've met.”

Yuuri was ready to bolt. This man was suspicious. He tapped his chin, deep in thought. 

“Have you by any chance seen Viktor Nikiforov in this building? I thought I saw him stepping out of a car, but I’m not sure if that was really him..."

Yuuri paled. Viktor. Was this a reporter? Or someone dangerous, like a stalker?

He tried to laugh, “Haha, if Viktor was here then there's no way the town would've kept quiet about it! I'm sure you were just imagining things." 

The man looked at him seriously, considering Yuuri's appearance. Yuuri was ready to turn around and leave already, but the man stopped him.

“Wait, I've definitely seen you, but where…?” the man was thinking hard and making Yuuri confused and afraid. Would he look even more guilty if he ran?

“Really sir, I don’t know you! I just want to go home. Please let me go.” The man grabbed his shoulder, refusing to let him get away. 

“Wait just a second, your glasses! Are you the man on Viktor’s Insta-?”

“Yuuri! Let’s go home together!” He heard Takeshi's voice call out to him from where he was walking with Yuuko. He was saved! He had honestly just been backed into a corner... He’d never been good with forceful people.

Yuuri ran over to them, waving, and the man was forced to release his hold.

“Takeshi! You came to pick up Yuu-chan, huh?” Yuuri smiled at them, feeling relieved. Takeshi squinted at the man who had been holding Yuuri's shoulder.

“Who's that guy there? Do you know him?”

The stranger was holding his hat now, trying to cover his face. “W- well, it's late now, so I'll just be going then! Thank you for your help, young man!” he quickly walked away, and they stared after him until he disappeared from their sight.

Yuuko looked at Yuuri worriedly. “Are you ok, Yuuri? That man didn't do anything, right?”

Yuuri rubbed his shoulder. "He was asking about Yurio's father… and he was insisting that knew me, but I swear I've never seen him before..."

Yuuko gasped and Takeshi looked at him with concern.

“I’ll talk to Viktor tomorrow, just to let him know. I’ll be careful when I bring Yurio home too.” Both Yuuko and Takeshi stared worriedly.

“Thank you for calling out to me back there. I really didn't know what to do. I'm just glad that Viktor wasn't driving me home today." 

Takeshi patted his back. “Nothing's gonna happen! Don't worry! From now on we should all go home together! I usually pick Yuuko up at about this time. We can wait for you!”

Yuuri smiled gratefully. "Thank you, but my hours are kind of irregular. It all depends on when Yurio decides to sleep.” He would've loved to go home with Yuuko and Takeshi like he did when they were younger and walked home from school or ballet. Takeshi would always wait for them. But Yuuri didn't feel right about making his friends wait for him so late at night. Not to mention that now they were engaged, he didn't want to interrupt their time together.

“It’s okay, Yuuri! Just tell us when you finish your work! We’ll wait for you. It’s lucky we found you today before that man could do anything. He looked suspicious,” Yuuko said, patting his shoulder where the man had gripped him hard. 

“I’m okay, really. Look, I’ve grown up strong, see? It’s no easy job, taking care of kids.” He laughed awkwardly, hoping that he would be able to change the subject or at least lighten the mood. 

“But we’re worried. Besides, Viktor and Yurio wouldn’t want anything to happen to you. You should take care of yourself more,” Yuuko huffed in her clear "no nonsense" voice. Neither he nor Takeshi's could do anything when she brought out that voice. He sighed.

“Okay, I’ll let him know that he should be careful more than usual. And we can go home together… that is, if you both don’t mind me..."

Takeshi gave a hearty laugh and flung an arm over Yuuri's shoulder. “What's this, Yuuri? It’s only you! We’re good friends! Don't be so shy!"

Yuuri scratched his head, smiling. He was glad to have friends that he could depend on. They'd all grown up together and were practically family. 

The three of them talked back and forth as they happily crossed the almost empty street. They talked about their childhood and their jobs, just like they had done at Minako’s bar when Yuuri saw Yuuko at the pet center for the first time.

Yuuri was happy, but he couldn't help an uneasy feeling in the back of his mind. 

That man back there had been convinced he'd recognized him, but Yuuri was just a regular kindergarten teacher. Where did the man know him from? He felt anxious about the idea of a stranger knowing who he was.

He hoped nothing would happen. He prayed for it. The last thing in he needed was more problems to further complicate his peaceful daily life.

He looked up at the night sky above, where the stars glittered beautifully in the sky. They reminded him of a certain Russian actor's eyes. 

‘I really need to do something about my feelings for Viktor.’


	7. Snow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter have a heart beating moment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always thank you for Ninjassasin8 for beta-ing this story :D thank you a lot!! Warning hot moment for next chapter ///_/// an not sure if it'll come out next week on time. I've had so many deadlines to catch on.  
> I hope you like this chapter, thank you^^

That morning, after Viktor dropped Yurio off at kindergarten, he noticed that there was a man in a coat and a hat following him as he walked back to his car. He threw periodic glances at his unknown follower and made sure to keep his surgical mask and sunglasses on securely. 

‘Not now... Not when Yuuri still needs time...’

He had known it was only a matter of time before someone discovered his whereabouts. These past few months had been the longest he could remember spending in peace after his rise to fame, and he knew it would come to an end eventually. Seven months ago, being found by reporters wouldn’t have really been a major concern for him, but now he was sincerely hoping to have Yuuri in his arms before they figured out his location again.

Aside from the man who had been following them from the school, Viktor had begun to notice several unfortunately familiar foreigners in town. All were hoping to find Viktor before the holiday season, and it was easier for them to blend in as the winter season brought in more actual tourists from foreign countries. 

Georgi noticed Viktor’s troubled look from the rear view mirror, but he decided to keep quiet. They had several things to do today. Viktor had gotten tons of requests for interviews from out of town and they couldn’t be late… So they drove on in silence as Viktor lost himself in his thoughts.

When Viktor got home that night, his fears were strengthened when Yuuri told him about the suspicious man that he met on his way home the previous day. The news that some stalker or reporter or someone had approached Yuuri made Viktor feel guilty and a little more restless. He had really been hoping that his celebrity status wouldn’t bring attention to Yuuri while they were still nothing more than employer and employee, but now it was undeniable that that hope had been in vain. He really should have thought before he liked all those Instagram posts...

Viktor hugged him, apologizing profusely. Of all people, Yuuri seemed like the least fit for withstanding media attention. Yuuri was shy and didn’t look like he was very good with pushy adults. Journalists and fans were sure to overwhelm him, and Viktor was still afraid of Yuuri rejecting him or leaving him solely because of the attention Viktor attracted. The question was what to do now…

Sometimes Viktor really hated the media for prying into his personal life so much. He knew how to deal with the pressure of the spotlight, but he didn’t want to drag anyone else into it. Even when Yuuri said he would be going home with Yuuko and Takeshi from now on, Viktor still wasn’t completely reassured. He’d even offered to drive Yuuri home every night, but Yuuri politely refused. After all, Yuuri could hardly let Viktor leave Yurio at home by himself. When Yuuri brought it up, Yurio insisted that he could just go with them, but he always fell asleep on long car rides, and Yuuri didn’t like the idea of making his student fall asleep in a cramped car seat every week night. Besides, wouldn’t it be a scandal if someone actually caught Viktor leaving the apartment with a stranger like him late at night? The thought made Yuuri blush. 

When that plan failed, Viktor asked Yuuri move into his place for a while (explicitly this time).He argued that it could be dangerous for both him and his friends to be out so late, and Yuuri had looked like he was genuinely considering the idea too. He declined in the end though, saying that he didn’t want to trouble them. Viktor was ready to scream at the sky. 

At the very least, Lilia was looking into enlisting police help to catch the man that had been snooping around Viktor’s place. After running into him on that first night, Yuuri continued to catch glimpses of the man's coat on his way home. Thankfully the man didn’t dare come any closer when Yuuko and Takeshi were around. 

 

…

 

Yuuri walked into the school with Yurio in his arms. Viktor was leaving tomorrow, and Yuuri would be bringing Yurio back to the inn after school. He and Viktor had both decided that keeping Yurio at Yutopia from 28th would be the best option while Viktor was gone. 

Of course, Yuuri still didn’t have an answer for Viktor’s confession at this point. Despite their talk and their k-kiss the other day, Yuuri was still asking the same questions. Would Viktor accept his anxious, plain looking self? Would their relationship last? Would he end up heartbroken? Etc, etc... But Viktor had seemed so serious. Honestly, it was completely illogical for a famous actor like Viktor to be interested in someone like him. Yuuri set Yurio down as he walked into the classroom and suddenly slapped his cheeks. 

‘Stop.’

There he was, being all negative again. He had to remind himself that it didn’t get him anywhere and almost ruined his relationship with Viktor. Although negativity was second nature to him, he was doing his best to change that. With that thought, he looked up at his classroom and missed Yurio’s confused stare.

That afternoon, the girls combed Yuuri’s hair and tied it up prettily with bows and hairclips. Yuuri’s mind was too preoccupied with his internal dilemma to remember to take them out, and he walked around with that hairstyle for almost half a day until Emil pointed it out. He chuckled good naturedly at Yuuri’s embarrassment and commented that Sara loved to do that to him too. Yuuri recalled walking down the hall sometime earlier that month to see Emil with a bow in his beard, and he couldn’t help a chuckle either. The girls gave a sad “awww” when Yuuri politely returned their hair accessories, but luckily Phichit had snapped several photos before Yuuri noticed. 

Yuuri sighed, Viktor loved surprising people, and he know that, but even after three months, that confession was a little too surprising. How could any person ever imagine their celebrity crush becoming their very real, requited crush? And yet there he was, faced with the option to become the boyfriend of Viktor Nikiforov himself…

Also, personal issues and insecurities aside, wouldn’t the media tear him apart? The thought made him shiver a bit. He isn’t good with people, especially not crowds. He’d have a panic attack for sure. If it was for Viktor then he might be able to cope somehow, but it was still intimidating. 

According to quite a few magazines, Viktor Nikiforov was one of the world’s most wanted bachelors, despite having a kid. Yurio told him that Viktor never had any shortage nor difficulty in finding girls (or sometimes guys) to be with, not even when Viktor introduced them to Yurio. Adopting Yurio after his cousin’s passing hadn’t deterred any potential suitors at all. 

The day went on, and Yuuri was only slightly distracted as he carried out his lessons and activities. Soon everyone was packing their art projects into their backpacks and getting ready for the final bell. When it rang, Yuuri and the students traded their goodbyes and Yurio helped Yuuri with some last minute cleaning before they locked up the class and left the building.

As they walked past the market, Yuuri idly wondered if any of Viktor’s past lovers had gotten to see Viktor like Yuuri did on a regular basis. Was Viktor the cool, suave movie star in front of them? Or was he quick to transform into the overgrown teddy bear that Yuuri had spent so many late nights getting to know? Did Viktor cling to them when he was tired? Did he smile like the sun when they made him dinner? Did he send them ridiculous family pictures on lazy weekends? Did he kiss them like-

Yurio tugged his sleeve, alerting Yuuri to the fact that they were already in front of the apartment complex’s front door. He apologized repeatedly to the boy who was now looking at him with genuine concern. Yuuri quickly scanned the card and walked into the building.

As they stepped into the lobby, Yuuri suddenly felt something crash into his back. He turned around and saw a man standing there, looking out of breath. 

‘Another tenant?’ he wondered. Without paying the man too much thought, Yuuri shifted Yurio in his arms and continued to the elevator. The man followed them inside as Yuuri swiped his key card, and Yuuri couldn’t help stealing a glance at the man next to them. He certainly looked like he had enough money to be a tenant here, so Yuuri didn’t say a word. Yurio pushed the button for his floor and then suddenly they heard the man speak.

“Is that kid yours?” that man asked, smiling. Yuuri awkwardly smiled back.

“Uh, no, I'm just his caretaker.” Somehow he felt that this man was familiar, but he shook his head. Maybe he had seen the man in the lobby or in the elevator at some point.

“So… Caretaker, huh?” 

The elevator chimed and Yuuri realized that the man hadn’t slid his card into the elevator. He hadn’t had it when he ran through the front door and rammed into Yuuri’s back either. Did he live on the same floor? And Why did his tone make Yuuri feel so uneasy?

The elevator opened and Yuuri just knew something was wrong. “Yurio, I’m going to drop you off at Otabek’s, ok?” He whispered. “I need to check on something,” he said quietly as he carried Yurio to the Altins’ door. Yuuri lifted the Yurio up so that he could ring the doorbell. 

Strangely, that man was waiting there in front of the elevator. He wasn’t approaching Otabek’s door, which Yuuri considered a good thing. But there was no way Yuuri was going over to Viktor’s door now.

“Um, excuse me, do you live in this floor?” Yuuri asked as Otabek opened the door confusedly. 

The man was looking around as if he’d never seen the inside of the building before, and the suspicion that Yuuri had been feeling grew stronger. Yuuri quickly ushered Yurio inside. 

“Sensei, are you not coming in?” Yurio felt that something wasn’t right when he looked at Yuuri’s face. 

Yuuri threw a glance at the man behind him and quickly shut Otabek’s door. He heard the click of the door just in time for the man to slam Yuuri’s back into it.

“Don’t come out!” 

His back was bruised for sure, and Yuuri moaned in pain as the back of his head hit the very solid door behind him. He could hear it banging against his back and Yurio screaming. Suddenly the man expertly pinned both of his hands up and Yuuri couldn’t move. 

“What’s your name? And what’s your connection with Viktor Nikiforov?” he kept his smile on and he somehow managed to look completely calm.

Yurio was still banging and screaming at the door, but Yuuri was just really thankful that he wasn’t tall enough to reach the doorknob. Thank goodness Otabek had the sense to keep the door closed too. Yuuri glared to the man in front of him while simultaneously trying to push himself as far back into the door as he could in a vain attempt to create some space between them.

“That boy is Viktor’s infamous adopted son, isn’t it? So then Viktor must be here too, right? I just knew it would be worthwhile to come here!” The man spoke right beside his ear, making Yuuri cringe. He felt disgusted. Did all reporters act like this? But Yuuri was the one who had led him here... How stupid of him, how did he not immediately get suspicious when some guy ran into the building right after Yuuri scanned his card to get in? From this distance, Yuuri finally recognized the man who had approached him a few nights ago. Only now he was wearing colored contacts and had no hat to cover his hair or face.

“Who are you? What do you want? I’m just a caretaker for one of the tenants here!” He refused to give in.

The man chuckled. “Don’t lie. I recognize your face and those glasses. You’re usually with kids, aren’t you?” He replied with a smirk on his face. “If you’re just a normal caretaker, then why does your face keep showing up in Viktor’s feed? He always likes pictures with you in them. And you look great in all of them too! Tell me, who takes them? A friend? A student?”

Suddenly it was like Yuuri couldn’t breathe.

“So then, what’s your relationship with Viktor? Are you two… Intimate?”

The man stared at him intensely, and it made Yuuri tremble a bit. 

“I’m just a caretaker. I don’t know anything about Viktor.”

The man slowly ran a finger over Yuuri’s cheek before tugging his glasses off. He stayed silent for a moment, eyes wandering up and down Yuuri’s body and making Yuuri extremely uncomfortable. Yuuri clenched his teeth.

“I’ve been wondering about this, but you really don’t look as plain as I thought.” He smiled, caressing Yuuri’s face gently. Yuuri flinched away from the man’s touch. It was definitely different with Viktor. He hated this.

“Is your relationship really all business, I wonder?”

Yuuri closed his eyes and found the courage to suddenly push all of his body weight onto the man in front of him. The man fell to the ground and Yuuri tried to run, but the stranger caught on fast and tripped Yuuri with an outstretched arm. 

“Hey! Don’t run!” he caught Yuuri by feet and Yuuri’s knees were pulled from under him. The man was above him now, and he had no way of standing up to run. His head was still a little disoriented too. 

Looking at Yuuri, who was groaning in pain under him, the man laughed. “Just answer my question, sweetheart~ It’s not like you’re going anywhere, and judging by your reaction, Viktor is definitely here! So are you his son’s caretaker? Or perhaps…”

He lowered himself to whisper right into Yuuri’s ear.

“… His secret lover?” The man sat up and whooped. “This is going to be a big scoop! I’m going to be rich!”

Yuuri paled. This man was dangerous, a paparazzi who didn’t care about people’s personal privacy at all. And his stupidity had brought this man to Viktor’s home. He’d failed.

‘This is my fault...’

Yuuri groaned as the man began pressing his weight on him. God he was heavy… And Yuuri couldn’t escape the tight grasp on his wrist. The man forced both of his hands beside his head. 

“I think I know why Viktor hired you! Your looks got his attention, didn’t they?”

The man leaned down to lock eyes with Yuuri, whose face was still pressed against the rough carpet. 

“You look all innocent on the outside, but I bet that’s not the case in bed.” He laughed a smug kind of sound. “How much does he pay you?” 

Yuuri froze at that, and the man laughed again. “Now who would have ever thought that I would find such a perfect scoop? I can pay my debts with thi-”

Suddenly the weight on Yuuri’s back was gone, and he quickly sat up to see a security guard and- 

Viktor?

The security guard had to hold Viktor back from angrily kicking the man repeatedly. It took a second for Yuuri to process what was happening.

“What were you doing to my Yuuri?!” Viktor shouted in anger, making Yuuri flinch a bit. He had never seen Viktor so angry before. The man cursed repeatedly in Russian, and his pretty, warm eyes had turned cold. He was scary to say the least…

When Viktor didn’t stop after the man yelled out that he would sue Viktor for this, Yuuri found the power to stand up.

“Vi-Viktor! Stop!” he shouted worriedly. He couldn’t bring Viktor any more problems.

Yurio and Otabek suddenly emerged from the room, the blond boy running to hug Yuuri tightly and sobbing when he finally did.

Viktor took deep breaths to calm himself down while the security guard arrested the man. He was looking worriedly at Yuuri now, and thankfully his eyes were warm again. Yuuri breathed out a sigh of relief.

“I’ll turn him in to the police,” The security guy said. A couple more guards came from the elevator, and Lilia was behind them with Georgi. They looked out of breath. Viktor wasn’t much better off himself.

Lilia shot him a serious look before patting Viktor’s back. “Calm down. It’s not good to lose your composure like that. I’ll handle this.” The woman turned to look at Yuuri, who was patting Yurio’s back to soothe the boy. She put a hand on Yuuri’s shoulder and smiled reassuringly before leaving the scene. Yuuri’s eyes were wide as he watched her leave. He had never actually met Lilia Baranovskaya, he just knew that the woman was Viktor’s senior manager and had an assistant named Georgi, who served as Viktor’s second manager. According to Viktor, she was strict and serious and only rarely outwardly showed how kind she really was.

“Yuuri…” Viktor slowly crouched down to hug him, completely disregarding the guard behind them. He just needed to hold the black haired man who trembling slightly in his arms. 

“Vi-Viktor, why are you here? Aren’t you usually working at this hour?” he sighed softly as he was engulfed in Viktor’s familiar scent. His left hand was clutching Viktor’s coat as he desperately tried hold back his tears.

“I was on my way home to pack my things for tomorrow. Then Yurio called, sobbing and saying that you were alone outside with a strange man." Viktor pulled him even closer. "He told me there was a loud bang against the door and that you told them not to come out. There was traffic on the way here, so I ran to the apartment..."

Viktor ran his hand through Yuuri’s soft hair repeatedly, trying to soothe the panic on Yuuri’s face. Despite his best efforts to look composed, his face was still pale.

“I almost had a heart attack. Please don’t leave me.”

Yuuri tried to laugh, but it came out dry. His voice was still shaking a little, but he managed to attempt to calm Viktor down.

“I’m not going anywhere, d-don’t worry. This is nothing compared to being tackled by five kids.”

Viktor sighed and smiled softly. “Yuuri, he was an adult. He’s capable of things that kids would never even think of.”

He released Yuuri from the hug and cradled the back of back of Yuuri’s head to get a look at his face. He frowned when Yuuri winced at the touch.

“Yuuri, what did he do to you? Please tell me.” Viktor brought his forehead to Yuuri’s, making Yuuri feel a little shy. He peeked to his left and saw the security guard looking very awkward. It appeared he wanted to say something, but instead he simply scurried from the scene and left them alone. Otabek just stared like this scene was completely normal, and Yurio, who had sprung out of Yuuri’s arms when he saw his father coming, stared from behind Otabek with a frown.

Viktor took note of the quiet atmosphere and caught a glimpse of Otabek.

“Otabek! Thank you for keeping Yurio safe and calling security.”

The boy only nodded with a shrug. “It’s nothing. My parents always say to just call security and keep the door closed when strangers show up. I trust my parents.”

The boy looked so serious, it was no wonder he got along so well with Yurio. Viktor smiled and looked to his son.

“Thank you for calling me, Yurio. Now let’s go inside! Hallways aren’t great places to sit and chat!”

Otabek nodded and said his goodbyes to all of them before returning to his apartment.

“Yuuri, can you stand up?” 

Yuuri nodded. He began to push himself off the ground, but he was still recovering from shock, so his legs were a little shaky. When he almost fell back down again, Viktor caught him and helped Yuuri stand up. He supported him with his shoulder.

“Vi-viktor, I can walk by myself. I’m okay.” Yuuri tried to smile, but it came out weak and unconvincing. 

Viktor stared at him with a serious look before opening the door to his home.

“Just lean on me, Yuuri, don’t worry. I’m strong enough to carry you, you know. Would you like to try that?” he smirked.

Yuuri blinked as he processed Viktor’s words, and then suddenly red bloomed across his face. He averted his eyes in embarrassment and quietly accepted Viktor’s help.

Viktor helped him remove his shoes and sat him on the couch. He gave Yuuri his glasses back too, having picked them up off the floor at some point. Yurio followed them silently before taking a spot beside Yuuri to lay his head down on his lap. 

“I’m sorry Yurio, that must have been scary.” Yuuri soothingly ran his fingers through Yurio’s hair.

The boy glared at him. “That was nothing. We had it worse in Russia.” He rubbed his cheek on Yuuri’s stomach, enjoying the softness of Yuuri’s shirt and belly.

Viktor came back with a first aid kit in his hands. He sat beside Yuuri and caressed his face.

“I’m so sorry, Yuuri… I never wanted anything like that to happen to you...” He had a sad, hurt look in his eyes. 

Yuuri smiled, endeared. Viktor looked like a guilty child, even though he wasn’t to blame.

“Viktor, this isn’t your fault. You didn’t ask him to assault me.”

He looked at him and the sight made Yuuri pity him, “Lilia said it was because of my SNS…” he sniffed. “You know I followed one of your students on Instagram, right? I think they found your photos on there. I always like the photos with you in them, so they were all over my feed.”

Yuuri closed his eyes in exasperation, “Phichit…” but then he smiled, almost laughing. Viktor had actually followed Phichit to see his pictures. 

“But that still wasn’t your fault. There was no way you could have expected a crazy guy like him to notice and track me down.”

‘Actually I could have expected that from a mile away and I can’t believe I didn’t see it coming earlier,’ Viktor thought to himself. ‘But I won’t argue back… I’m just glad you’re ok…’

“Your fans just love you too much, Viktor,” Yuuri chuckled.

Viktor breathed in, hugging Yuuri gently and savoring the scent that always had the ability to calm him down. “Yuuri, the only person whose love I need is yours.”

There was a beat of silence, and all of a sudden, Yuuri wanted to cry. Was it his job as an actor that made him capable of saying those kinds of things? What exactly did Viktor find so appealing about him anyway? How could his love possibly mean more than the love of thousands of people?

“I don’t want anyone but you.” Viktor tightened his hug when Yuuri didn’t say anything, “Your love is all that matters to me.” 

Yuuri clutched Viktor’s shirt. “How can you say that, Viktor? I’m completely average, what do you think makes me so special?”

The room went quiet for moment, and then Viktor looked him in the eye with a crease between his perfectly shaped eyebrows. 

“Do you really have to ask? Do you not know how perfect you are, Yuuri?”

“Yeah, I like sensei way better than papa,” Yurio said, lifting his head off of Yuuri’s lap to sit up in his lap instead.

Viktor turned to Yurio, “That hurts a little, but I’m not surprised and I still love you, son. But see? Yurio agrees with me!” His eyes turned back to Yuuri, who was still looking unconvinced. 

Even as Yurio began invading the tiny gap of space between Yuuri and Viktor, Viktor didn’t budge. He held his ground, sitting close to Yuuri with a hand on his shoulder.

“Yuuri, I think you need a little more self confidence.”

Yuuri eyes widened before looking away shyly.

“I’ll make it my job,” Viktor said, tilting Yuuri’s chin up to look him in the eye again. “… to raise your self esteem. Because you’re amazing, Yuuri. I bet tons of people are crushing on you but you just don’t let yourself believe it. 

Those lovely brown orbs gazed at him with a sad look. Clearly Yuuri wasn’t believing a word he was saying. Viktor really had to do something about Yuuri’s destructive self depreciating tendencies. There was no way they were healthy. 

“I’m not kidding when I say you turned my world upside down. So please, stop wearing that face or I might just have to kiss you.”

Yuuri’s breath hitched and a blush took over his face. Viktor loved teasing him, watching his reactions whenever he said things like that. Yuuri’s blushing face always tugged at his heart. He fell a little more in love with this man all the time.

Why couldn’t he see himself the way Viktor saw him?

“Just remember Yuuri, you’re perfect for me. I could never be bored with you, no matter what,” Viktor said with a smile. “Though I will say, it helps that you keep surprising me! Like the money the other day, or when you started working here and you welcomed me home in nothing but a towel-”

Suddenly Yuuri covered Viktor’s mouth, blushing madly. 

“Viktor! Please forget about that! I’ll die of embarrassment if you bring it up again!” He thought Viktor had already forgotten about the incident because he never commented on it!!

Viktor gently pulled Yuuri’s wrists away from his mouth. “There’s no way I could forget something as beautiful as your glittering, wet-“

“Stop! Stop! Please don’t say anything else!” Yuuri cried out in panic. “I’m so embarrassed I can’t even think...”

“If you feel like your purity’s been scarred, then I’d be happy to marry you nonetheless.”

Yurio glared at his papa with a disgusted look. Yuuri hid his face in his hands, completely unable to look at Viktor.

“I don’t really get what you just said, but I can tell that it was dirty.”

Viktor smiled at his son with only a touch of coldness.

“Pervert,” Yurio muttered in Russian. The boy patted Yuuri’s arm and slowly got up to walk to his room, leaving the two idiots in love in the living room. He really did have to start packing to move to Otabek’s. Yurio slammed his bedroom door, and Viktor moved to hug Yuuri again, not wanting to let go at all.

“I’m an adult, one or two scars won’t be a problem, Viktor,” Yuuri sighed. “Please don’t say something like that so casually in front of-”

“But Yuuri, won’t you marry me? I really want to, please Yuuri! I only want you!” Viktor kissed his nose and then his cheek before replacing his lips with his cheek on the side of Yuuri’s face. 

“V-viktor!” Yuuri tried to wiggle around in man’s tight hug, but Viktor wouldn’t let go.

Being like this with Viktor was so different from being touched by that reporter. No matter how clingy, touchy, or even whiny Viktor got, Yuuri could never feel disgusted when he was with him. With Viktor, he was at ease, even when Viktor made his heart beat like crazy or took his breath away.

“Viktor, are you like this with all of your friends and family?” he asked, still struggling playfully in Viktor’s death grip.

Viktor finally released him, only to push their foreheads together with his bright eyes looking seriously to Yuuri’s brown ones. Yuuri went quiet.

“Yuuri, I only do this with you and Yurio. Don’t give me that look.” 

Yuuri averted his eyes, embarrassed beyond belief. “I-I still haven’t answered you yet…” 

Viktor patted his head before letting himself fall back onto the sofa and releasing Yuuri, who finally had room to breathe.

“Right, I’m still waiting... Please don’t go anywhere, Yuuri. You still owe me an answer.”

Yuuri looked away for a moment, making Viktor’s heart pound in anxiousness. 

“I just need to… Sort out my feelings first… It won’t be too long now…”

Viktor beamed radiantly at Yuuri’s answer. “Okay! I’ll wait for you! Nothing’s changed! Just, please… Don’t let what happened today be what stops you from giving us a chance.”

“That really was my fault, Viktor. I let that man into the building… He slipped through the front door right after I scanned the card. I didn’t even notice because I- My mind was… preoccupied.”

“It was that man’s fault, ok? If you won’t blame me for liking your pictures on Instagram, then I refuse to blame you for opening a door. I do hope that your mind was “preoccupied” by thoughts of me though~! Nothing would make me happier!”

The comment caught Yuuri off guard, and all he could do was nervously play with his hands in his lap as he waited for his blush to subside. 

“So Yuuri, what was on your mind today? You know I saw Phichit’s pictures of when you had bows and clips in your hair, and you looked sooo good-“

“P-please forget about that! I wasn’t in my right mind, and my students love to tease me…”

“Yuuri, you’re perfect.” Viktor whispered right beside his ear, making him jump in surprise.

“S-stop saying that! I-I’m really not per-“

Viktor pushed him down, pinning him against the couch.

“Yuuri, you’re perfect. Your scent drives me crazy, your face is the prettiest I’ve ever seen, your body is beautiful, your glasses are adorable, and your hair is so soft that I could swear it’s made from clouds. More than that, your food is great, you always do your best, and you have more patience and kindness than anyone I know, especially when it comes to kids.” 

So much for waiting for the blush to subside. Yuuri was sure that the blood would never leave his face now… And just when he thought Viktor was done, the man rested forehead on Yuuri’s chest.

“Also, the way your hips move between the kitchen counters is suuuper sexy. You’re gorgeous when you do ballet and- do you think you could dance for me sometime? Please??- and not to mention you can speak English and your family has the best onsen place in the world and you own a cute dog named Vicchan!”

Yuuri chuckled, “you know those last two don’t really fit the bill.” 

Viktor smiled endearingly.

“And you have the most beautiful smile.” His eyes were gentle, full of love for the man beneath him. “I won’t stop until you gained your confidence, Yuuri.”

Yuuri tried to calm down his accelerating heart beat, closing his eyes with a half exasperated groan. 

“It won’t be that easy, Viktor.”

Viktor gave him cheeky smile. “Try me, I always win.” 

Yuuri smiled and Viktor moved down, hoping to claim another kiss. But then he saw Yuuri tightly shutting his eyes and he stopped in his tracks. Yuuri, who had been expecting a kiss, was surprised when he felt a pair of lips pressed tenderly to his forehead. 

“I’ll wait, Yuuri. Don’t worry.” He patted Yuuri’s soft hair, hugging him on couch.

Yuuri quivered a bit, but he didn’t push Viktor off. Instead, he pushed him back a little bit, only enough to be able to look Viktor in the eye. 

“And I won’t run away,” Yuuri said with determination. Viktor’s heart picked up speed.

They smiled together in a moment of peace before Yuuri remembered that Viktor had to pack his things to leave tomorrow. He ushered Viktor to his room and proceeded to make his way to the kitchen. 

As he started on dinner, his thoughts wandered back to that forceful reporter. If he and Viktor got together, how big of a deal would the media make of it? Would these peaceful days last? The reporter had been convinced that he and Viktor were already lovers to begin with. If that had been the case then Yuuri wondered how much hate he would get from Viktor’s fans.

‘Honestly, I don’t think I would mind being the one to steal Viktor from the world.’

Yuuri chuckled. Somehow that thought was exciting.

 

…

 

Lilia came back later that night with Georgi, having reported the man who had assaulted Yuuri.

Apparently, the guy was a celebrity reporter who was based in Tokyo. He lived luxuriously off his articles, but he hadn’t had a good story in a while now, and he had gone into debt after stubbornly refusing to change his lifestyle despite his change in income. He had a history of digging up particularly private, closely guarded details of celebrity lives.

It turned out that the reporter had heard about where Viktor lived from that ex-caretaker who had been persistently asking for money recently. Viktor facepalmed, feeling tired of everything. Despite the charges of assault that were being pressed on him, the reporter had demanded the right to write about Viktor’s life or else he would tell his fellow journalists all about Yuuri and Viktor. The agency had to threaten the man into keeping quiet, lest he somehow found a way out of jail. 

That night, Yuuri was driven home by Lilia and Georgi. Viktor want to come too, but Lilia forced him to stay home. After all, he still needed to rest and prepare for tomorrow.

Yuuri felt bad about causing them to go out of their way for him, but Lilia simply wouldn’t allow him to go home alone. Thankfully he had told Yuuko to go home ahead with Takeshi when they went to go pick up Makkachin. Before Lilia rang the doorbell, Viktor had been the one adamantly refusing to allow Yuuri to go home by train this late at night. 

When Lilia essentially put Viktor under house arrest for the night, Yuuri had tried to leave the apartment quietly, only to be stopped by Viktor’s fearsome manager.

“You understand that Viktor won’t stop at anything to get you, right? This man would quit his job for you,” she’d said. “So stop protesting and let us drive you home.”

Yuuri had nodded quietly at that. That was why he was now hugging his backpack quietly in the back seat of an awfully fancy looking car. 

The street lamps passed them by in streaks as Yuuri stared out the window. At some point, he noticed a small, white spot fall onto the glass.

It was snowing. He wondered if Viktor liked snow. Yuuri smiled when he thought of how excited the kids would be in the morning, especially Phichit. Soon the sides of the road were being covered in sheets of white, and Yuuri wondered if the weather would affect Viktor’s flight tomorrow.

Either way, Viktor would be leaving Yuuri and Yurio at Yutopia the next day. They wouldn’t see each other for a little bit, and Yuuri just hoped that nothing bad would happen to any of them.


	8. Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Viktor realized something

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry if it's a bit late but it's still sunday in my country so here's chapter 8 :') Somehow I managed to magically finished this...huft. 
> 
> Thank you for always beta ing this work @ninjassasin8 ^^/ 
> 
> I had to break down this chapter into 2 parts. So the hot moment would be next. Be aware okay, I've write the warning in this chapter. I hope I can write the chapter 9 nicely :'( okay I hope you enjoy this chapter ^^ bye~

As soon as he stepped out the door, he was swarmed by reporters. 

When Viktor first arrived at the ski resort, there hadn’t been a single journalist in sight. However, by the morning of the second day, he was being persistently followed by a hoard of reporters wherever he went. 

“Mr. Nikiforov! Is there a reason you decided to stay at Hasetsu?”

“Is it true you chose to stay at Hasetsu because you met someone special?”

“Who’s the guy who keeps showing up in your instagram feed!?” 

“Mr. Nikiforov, can you tell the public anything about your upcoming projects or your reasons for staying in Japan?”

“Mr. Nikiforov, please answer-“

Even as he opened the car door, a flood of questions threatened to overwhelm him. Security had to forcefully clear a path for Viktor and Lilia to get through, but luckily they had expected this. Still though, that reporter bastard must’ve had some good connections for him to have gotten the news around so fast. Viktor simply gave them all a smile and a wink that stunned them into silence immediately. Perhaps he had only managed a second of quiet, but his natural charm came in handy. 

He continued to ignore the forceful reporters as the car door closed and the vehicle drove away. He had to focus on getting his work done, no matter who approached him. 

He needed Yuuri or maybe Makkachin to calm his mind... He was already missing the peace he had been living in for so long. Viktor sighed, reading the lines of his script mechanically. He need to get this down. 

‘I’ve enjoyed my time in Hasetsu... And I met Yuuri. I should be grateful.’

Lilia called to him as the car approached the filming location.

“Viktor, we’re here.” 

The silver haired man closed his eyes, willing himself to concentrate. “Okay, let’s get this over with.”

…

Luckily at Yutopia, there weren’t any reporters at all. Yuuri had brought Yurio to the inn with enough clothes to last him a week the day after Viktor left Hasetsu. Yuuri was just glad they’d been able to avoid the apartment since that morning. He’d seen the intimidating crowd of reporters on the news.

The two were soaking in the onsen now. The winter season had brought in an influx of guests, making the place very lively. It was great for business, but significantly less great for Yurio, who was sticking closer to Yuuri than ever. After leaving the onsen, they had some kastudon that Yuuri’s mother made. 

Aside from the people, Yurio was incredibly happy about being able to stay at Yuuri’s home again. Papa wasn’t around, so he got to have Yuuri all to himself. Not to mention he got to eat a bunch of great food and bathe in big bathtubs. Needless to say, he was very satisfied.

When Yuuri was busy cleaning tables or doing work for his parents, Yurio played with Vicchan and Makkachin. Yuuri couldn’t bear to leave Makkachin all by himself at the apartment complex, and Vicchan was more than happy to have his standard sized playmate around again, so it was a win-win situation for everyone. As Yurio waited for Yuuri to come back, he sat on Yuuri’s bed with Vicchan in his lap and Makkachin by his side.

When Yuuri was done with his odd jobs, he came into his room and sat down next to the boy. He saw Yurio’s face turn serious before the kindergartener asked, “Sensei, are you gonna marry Papa?”

Yuuri gulped, not expecting him to ask that. Without waiting for Yuuri’s answer, Yurio looked up to meet his eyes.

“If sensei marries papa, reporters will be everywhere. Papa wants to protect sensei from them. What if Papa stopped being an actor? To keep them away?”

Yuuri look down with hard expression. “Well, I don’t know how well that would work, but I wouldn’t want him to quit. I would never want to make Viktor give up his passion for me. I don’t want to be a burden.”

Yurio clutched the fabric of Yuuri’s sweater in his tiny fists. “Reporters are annoying. But I want sensei to stay.”

Yurio sprawled across Yuuri’s lap and rubbed his face against Yuuri’s soft belly, making Yuuri chuckle. He patted Yurio’s head, ruffling his soft hair beneath his fingers. There was a moment of silence between them before Yuuri spoke.

“I’ll answer the next time I see him. I’ve had more than enough time to think…”

Yurio buried his face in Yuuri’s sweater, and the two poodles curled around them.

“Don’t leave, sensei.”

…

Trying to love was like jumping off a cliff so high that you couldn't see the bottom despite being told that there was a soft cushion on the ground down there.

Yuuri had looked up to Viktor all his life. He was afraid of losing the man he admired after getting to know him as a person, and he wasn’t sure what to do now. If he decided to take the leap and risk the fall, he wouldn’t know whether or not he made the right decision until either his heart was shattered or Viktor’s promises proved true. Though if he got to the bottom of that cliff and there was no cushion, his heart might not be the only thing to take damage. He knew the other risks. That one reporter had proven that the media wouldn’t just leave him alone, and neither would the rest of Viktor's fans. Some of these people were willing to do drastic things... 

And yet, somehow, there was something exciting about being known as “the one who stole Viktor from the world."

Yurio squirmed, nudging closer to his chest. Vicchan and Makkachin were curled up at their feet, sleeping soundly. Yuuri stared straight at the wall across from him. It was a familiar wall that he had anxiously stayed up all night to stare at many times before, albeit for different reasons. It was a little empty, now that he had hidden his posters of Viktor. The wall wasn't the only thing though. Tonight had been rather empty without Viktor there to laugh with and fuss over Yurio with… Had it always been this way?

Yuuri didn’t want Viktor to leave him. He needed him in his life. He had to acknowledge that. Despite being apprehensive about the future they might have together, Viktor’s presence made him feel a little less lonely. Yes, Viktor was clingy and overly dramatic, but it was endearing. He had a surprisingly sensitive side to him, and sometimes it was like he would just crumble if Yuuri rejected him. Honestly, losing Viktor might break him too... Not to mention Yurio, to whom he had become attached over these past months and Makkachin, who was like Yuuri's own dog. 

The past few months had given Yuuri people that he treasured dearly, and he didn’t want them to slip away. He wanted to be stronger to protect them.

Yuuri closed his eyes, curling around the boy in his arms. The body heat was well appreciated in the middle of the cold winter night. In two days they would leave Hasetsu, and Yuuri would see Viktor again. He would need to prepare himself.

Yuuri closed his eyes and drifted away into a dreamless sleep. 

…

The next day was the 29th, and Yuuri woke up to his family gathered around the door with birthday cake. Yurio scolded Yuuri for not telling him that today was his birthday. At school, Yuuri’s colleagues were giving him presents, and the kids all sang happy birthday together. Some kids even gave Yuuri little presents, and he had a bow from Sara and a blue ribbon from Isabella by the end of lunch. The boys gave him their toy cars, and several took pictures with him. Phichit documented all of them. 

Not too long after Yuuri finally got Phichit to put his phone away, he found that Viktor had messaged him. He was whining in all caps about Yuuri not telling him about his birthday and the fact that Viktor couldn’t be there to celebrate with him. He promised to give Yuuri something when they got back home, but Yuuri shivered a bit when he realized how unpredictable that gift would be.

During art time, Yuuri couldn’t help but chuckle at the looks of seriousness the kids all had on. They were all drawing some variation of Yuuri hugging them or playing with a small dog. One even had Yurio on his lap. At the end of the hour, they all crowded around him to give him their drawings, and he fully planned to keep them in an album and treasure them forever. 

Despite all the extra attention, Yuuri couldn’t help but notice that Yurio had been avoiding him for most of the day. Was he still mad at Yuuri for not saying anything about his birthday? It was almost time to go home now, but Yuuri couldn’t find him anywhere.

“Yurio, where are you?” 

Yuuri searched the school for the blond boy. Thankfully he found Yurio during his second check of the school’s front door. The boy's clothes were covered in mud and snow, and his face had a spot of mud on it. Yurio saw Yuuri walking towards him and quickly shoved his hands behind his back. 

“I couldn’t find that many with all the snow, but I found the last flower. I think it’s dying though.” He looked sad and a little disappointed. Then he pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket. On it, there was a picture of three human like figures, with one being significantly smaller than the rest, and two brown creatures that stood to the left and right side of the people. After unfolding the drawing, he gave it to Yuuri with a half withered flower on top.

“I didn’t really wanna draw Papa, but he’d cry if I didn’t.”

Indeed, the human like figure with silver hair looked more like a balding mass of scribbles while the other figures looked more carefully drawn.

“If you told me earlier then I coulda done something better! But you didn’t, so I only can give this...” Yurio pouted, looking mad with his puffed out cheeks. 

Yuuri smiled, accepting the paper and the flower and pulling Yurio into a hug. He ruffled the boy’s hair lovingly. The present was just so sweet and sincere.

“Thank you Yurio. But do you wanna know a secret?” He pulled back so that Yurio could see his happy expression. “I couldn’t have gotten a better present.”

Yurio gave a nervous smile and scratched his cheek, blushing. 

Yuuri chuckled and lifted Yurio up. “Now let’s go home. It’s cold outside, so we need to hurry!” On his way out the door, he wiped the mud off the child’s face with his sleeve. “We’re going to the ski resort the day after tomorrow, so we can’t have you getting sick!”

The boy nodded, resting his cold cheek ln Yuuri’s neck and making Yuuri flinch at the sudden cold. Suddenly Yurio sneezed, making Yuuri instantly worried. 

“We should soak in the onsen when we get back...” he said, patting Yurio’s back.

The boy nodded slowly, dozing off despite the cold weather around him. Strangely, he felt warm and happy.

…

Two days later, Yuuri arrived at the ski resort. The snow covered the ground and blanketed the mountain in white from top to bottom. The kids squealed in delight at all the snow. Even as they all assembled in front of the ski resort for headcount, anyone with eyes could see how much they wanted to play.

Hasetsu International Elementary school students ranging from kindergarten to third grade had gathered for the field trip. Yurio found Otabek in the crowd, and Mila from second grade too. She teased the blonde kindergartener for always sticking to Yuuri. 

When Yakov appeared at the head of the group, everyone fell silent. The teachers gave sighs of relief as the students finally calmed down. 

Yuuri stood behind his line of students to keep watch over them as Yakov reiterated some ground rules and Chris announced the room assignments. The students would be sleeping four to a room while the teachers paired up.

Yurio was sharing a room with Minami, Phichit, and Guang Hong. They were all too excited about the resort to stay quiet, especially Phichit, who didn’t get really snow back in Thailand.

Later, when everyone was scheduled to meet up in front of the dining hall, a commotion was being made by six or seven reporters in the main lobby. Students, teachers, and regular hotel guests crowded around to see what was going on.

Yuuri was on his way to the meeting place when he noticed the crowd. He didn’t pay it much attention though, as he was currently texting Viktor to let him know that he and Yurio had arrived and gotten settled. As he put his phone away, a reporter suddenly knocked into him and sent him flying backwards.

Some of his students saw and tried to help him up (of course they were too short to really support him as he stood up, but he appreciated it nevertheless). The reporter who bumped into him didn’t even bother apologizing, even after Yuuri gave an offered “sorry” as he walked past him again. Yurio hissed at the guy, but Yuuri simply shrugged, unsurprised. 

“Mr. Nikiforov! Why are you still at the resort? Our sources tell us that your shooting was only supposed to last for three days! Has it been extended? Are you on vacation?”

“Do you have any plans while you’re here, Mr. Nikiforov?”

“Do you have any words for your fans, Mr. Nikiforov?”

Hearing the name made Yuuri flinch. He approached the mass of people, and sure enough, caught  a glimpse of silver hair from the back of the crowd. 

Viktor slipped off his black sunglasses, sighing tiredly. He checked his phone, and suddenly his face lit up with excitement. Suddenly he turned to leave, but the reporters followed him, and he didn’t notice Yuuri standing there. He did see one of the kids though, and stopped to ask him a question. The kid took a second to stare in awe at the gentle look on Viktor’s face before suddenly turning to point at Yuuri.

Yuuri froze when he met Viktor’s eyes and saw the man’s face light up with happiness. Clearly Viktor wanted to approach him, but then he remembered the journalists still surrounding him. With a fallen expression that was quickly replaced with his usual default face, he left the lobby. The reporters tried to interview the kid that Viktor had talked to, but Emil had already stepped in, refusing to allow reporters to bother his student. So the journalists left the scene, trailing after Viktor, who had disappeared quickly from their sight.

Yuuri sighed in relief. He was kind of glad that Viktor hadn’t walked up to him in front of all those journalists. Hopefully Viktor would be able to find a way to avoid them. When he want to walk away, suddenly Yuuri heard his phone notify him of a new text.

14.12  
Yuuri T-T 

Help me! I wanna come to you but they won’t let me. 

14.13  
Patience Viktor... I hope you find time to slip away >_<

14.14  
When are you free? What’s Yurio doing today? I wanna see him ski! I’ll make sure to lose the reporters and see you both! Just let me know the place T-T

14.15  
We’re going skiing at 14.30, and we’ll be at the kid’s zone. Yurio will be wearing his tiger print jacket, and I won’t be too far away. You’ll find us quickly. But aren’t you working?

14.16  
I’ve finished my work here, actually~ (*´♡`*) I’ll see both of you there then! Wish me luck ~

PS: Teach me how to ski, okay?

14.17.  
Um, okay. If there aren’t journalists around then I will for sure ^^;

Yuuri went back to his students, and they all walked together to the assembly area. Once there, he and the other chaperones helped the students put on their ski gear before leaving the building.

Yurio asked for tiger print skis, but they didn't have any, so he murmured in disappointment before grabbing a random pair. He waddled up to the top of the slope, and Yuuri found that Yurio was surprisingly good at skiing. He explained that Viktor had taken him skiing before and taught him, making Yuuri wonder why Viktor had asked to Yuuri to teach Viktor to ski... But he couldn’t dwell on that for too long. Yurio was getting irritated at Phichit, who couldn’t ski yet and was adamantly refusing to let go of Yuuri. It couldn’t really be helped though, of course Phichit had never been skiing in Thailand… Yuuri tried to calm Yurio down by patting his back, but then Yurio surprised him by grabbing Phichit and running through the basics of skiing.

Suddenly Yuuri felt arms surrounding his waist, making him jump in surprise. He turned his head and saw a man in a thick hat, large coat, and black sunglasses hugging him from behind. The man pulled down his surgical mask and gave him smirk. 

“Hi there, Yuuri~”

Yuuri squinted his eyes in near disbelief. 

“V-Vi-“ He had to cover his mouth to keep from saying the name out loud. Viktor was here, somehow not attracting attention in his super suspicious get up. 

Yuuri looked around and found no reporters in sight. Then he looked back at Viktor, who had clearly gone all out with his “disguise.” The hat covered all of his hair and didn’t show very much of his face. His coat and the layers under it were more than enough to hide his muscular body. He was bundled up like a toddler, but he didn’t seem to have any issues with it at all.

Yuuri was moderately confident that no one would realize that this was Viktor Nikiforov. Honestly, a countless number of people on the lookout for Viktor had probably seen him without noticing him. In fact, at that very moment, there were girls squealing about Viktor not too far away from where they were standing. Viktor smiled and pulled his mask back up. With his arm around Yuuri’s waist, he walked them closer to where the kids were. 

Yurio glared at Viktor, already having a pretty good idea of who was buried under those layers after dealing with Viktor’s ridiculous disguises for as long as he had. Instead of saying anything, Yurio hissed at him, but didn’t breathe a word to blow Viktor’s cover. He huffed in annoyance for good measure and then went back to teaching Phichit. 

Luckily Phichit was a fast learner. Soon he could ski on his own with only a few falls, and Yurio was immensely proud. Yuuri chuckled. 

“Yuuri-sensei! I taught him! Phichit can ski now because I taught him!” he ran to Yuuri to hug him, hoping he would get some kind of praise.

Phichit smiled happily and went for a hug from Yuuri too. The blond boy glared at him, he grudgingly allowed Phichit to share his hug. Suddenly Viktor moved to get a better look at the boy from Thailand. 

“Wait... Phichit? As in Phichit+chu on instagram?”

Yuuri couldn’t really see Viktor’s face since it was covered up, but he heard the excitement in his voice.

“Yes, I’m Phichit. Who are you?” the boy looked at him suspiciously.

Suddenly Viktor kneeled down and covered Phichit’s hands with a grateful handshake.

“I’m a big fan! I’m Yurio’s father! Nice to meet you! I love your pictures! You have real talent for photography!”

The boy blinked. “Yurio’s dad? Wow! Nice to meet you! Thank you for liking my pictures!” The boy smiled enthusiastically. “I’m still learning though! I wanna take even better pictures someday!”

Viktor talked to Phichit for a while longer, so Yuuri left them to look after the other students who needed help, with Yurio in tow. While Yuuri was teaching Sara how to ski, he suddenly felt someone bump into his back.

“Yuuri, have you seen Mila? I can’t seem to find her... I’m afraid she’s gotten lost...” Chris looked a little breathless, but he still managed to wink at him. Yuuri cringed internally before furrowing his brow in thought.

“Is she the girl with red hair?” Yuuri asked. Chris nodded.

“I saw her playing in the snow over there somewhere.” Yurio pointed one where he last saw her.

“Ooh, thanks blondie~ Talk to you later, Yuuri~”

Yurio growled a little at Chris’s nickname, but he got over it quickly and went to ski. Suddenly Phichit and Guang Hong were pulling the boy to play with them as Minami waited by the slope, and Yuuri was left alone to teach Sara how to ski.

The day went on until it was nearly evening. The kids looked tired and hungry. Some were latched onto Yuuri, resting their heads on their teacher’s legs. Meanwhile, Viktor was trying his best to impress Yuuri with his skiing skills after Yuuri had scolded him for actually being better at skiing than Yuuri. Unfortunately, Yuuri was too busy with his students to pay very much attention to Viktor. Viktor even showed off some of his advanced moves that got applause from everyone who saw, but when he looked, Yuuri was retying a student’s laces. 

He was so jealous of these kids.

He knew he was an adult, but he can’t help but feel jealous of the other kids for keeping Yuuri’s attention. His shoulders slumped a bit when he walked back to Yuuri. He latched his arms onto Yuuri’s shoulders and never wanted to let go. 

Phichit snapped a few photos of Yuuri and Viktor the hashtags, “#new scandal #my teacher #yurio’s papa.” He smirked at his phone as he uploaded the pictures.

Viktor laughed at he looked at the photos over Phichit’s shoulder, still stubbornly attached to Yuuri. He didn't look like himself at all! He gave Phichit a solid thumbs up, and the kindergartener returned the gesture. 

Suddenly someone else hugged Yuuri from the side, whining a bit.

“Yuuri, who is this? I thought we had an agreement~ I’m so jealous.”

Yuuri gaped at the man beside him. “C-Chris! What photo? And what do you mean 'agreement'?” Yuuri blushed at the man’s closeness. The weather was getting colder as the sun sank lower in the sky. He was supposed to get the kids back to the resort, but Chris’s strong grip was keeping that from happening.

“Oh my, didn’t we agree that we would compare butts when yours was ripe enough?” 

Yuuri was about to splutter out an embarrassed reply, but then he made the mistake of looking back at Viktor’s dark expression.

“Yuuri, who is this?”

Yuuri smiled sheepishly. “Oh, this is my colleague from the school,” he said, slowly easing out of Chris’s hold. “He teaches 2nd grade. He's Christophe Giacometti from Switzerland.”

Viktor regarded him with a slightly hateful glare that Yuuri and Christophe couldn’t see behind his black glasses.

“And who might you be, Mr. Sunglasses?”

Viktor twitched a bit at his nickname. He hesitantly answer him, “I’m one of the student’s parents, and I come from Russia. My name is Vi-“ Yuuri frantically cut him off with a wave to remind Viktor of his current situation.

Getting the message, Viktor cleared his throat. “You can call me Vitya. If you don’t mind me asking, what exactly is your relationship with Yuuri?”

Christophe smirked and then nudged Yuuri’s side. “It looks like someone’s jealous~ I won’t reveal our relationship to a shady figure who wears sunglasses when it’s nearly dark. That’ll be a secret between me and Yuuri~” 

“C-Chris! No, we don’t have any kind of secret relationship! He’s just teasing…” Yuuri hid his face with both hands. Viktor looked ready to tear off Christophe’s arms. 

How could Yuuri explain this misunderstanding? And how would he live with this embarrassment?

Surprisingly, Chris suddenly laughed and winked at the two. “Relax, I’m loyal to my hubby. See you later, Yuuri~” he kissed Yuuri’s cheek and walked over to his students to usher them inside. Viktor was silent the whole time, not whining like usually did. So Yuuri tried to laugh it off, explaining that that was just how Chris was. Viktor didn’t respond though, and Yuuri wasn’t sure what could’ve made him so quiet, so he went to call his students back inside too. 

After that, Viktor disappeared. They didn’t even see him in the dining hall during dinner. Perhaps he ate in his room to avoid being recognized? Yuuri had little time to wonder before he was occupied by his lively class of students for the rest of the night. When it was finally time for bed, he rolled onto his mattress and wondered if Viktor was ok. That cold Viktor wasn’t the one he was used to seeing, and somehow that made his heart uneasy. He was up with worry until fatigue forced his eyes closed. 

…

On the second day of the trip, Yuuri was eating breakfast with the students and other teachers when he saw Viktor without his undercover get up. His expression was cool and composed. A few people asked for pictures, and he just barely smiled for them. When he was left alone, he stared out the window pensively. Yuuri couldn’t help but wonder if this was really the same man who had confessed his love for him. He was so beautiful and seemed so untouchable when Yuuri saw him from a distance... As if Yuuri would never reach him. He had been planning to give Viktor an answer to his confession today, but he wondered if he would be able to say anything with the reporters and Viktor’s sudden coldness. 

Phichit, along with several other kids and teachers squealed when they saw Viktor walking over to the area of the dining hall with couches and low tables. They only calmed down when they were glared at by Yakov. The man then turned his sharp gaze to Yuuri, who automatically averted his eyes. He continued to eat in silence. 

That morning, they were supposed to ride the cable car for a view of the mountain. Yuuri wanted to ask Viktor to come with him, but that seemed impossible. He didn’t have courage to do it, so he left to tend to the students while Viktor was still inside the inn. 

As Yuuri walked to the cable car, his thoughts were full of the unapproachable Viktor that he had just seen. Was Viktor normally this distant? Not clingy and whiny like Yuuri had usually seen? These kinds of thoughts swirled in Yuuri’s mind, and he had to shake his head vigorously to reclaim his focus. 

The car began moving and everyone was pressed up against the window to see outside. The weather wasn’t the best, but the view was still beautiful. He recalled hearing that there would be blizzard later at night. He would have to be extra sure that no one broke curfew and went outside. 

When the cable car was still again, Yuuri led the kids out. Some kids made sculptures, some went skiing, some were having a full scale snowball fight. Yuuri played and laughed along with them, forgetting his worries for a while. He wished he could take these happy, innocent moments and keep them forever. 

…

Viktor was back in his room. Security had gotten rid of the journalists, and now he was able to bask in the silence of him room. He rolled on the bed, sighing. How he missed a certain someone’s warmth. He want to be on a bed with Yuuri. But yesterday had made him a little, ah, upset at how easy it was for someone else to just latch themselves onto his Yuuri. Although he wasn’t exactly “Viktor’s” Yuuri. Yet. 

Honestly, even if Yuuri did reject his first confession, Viktor wasn’t planning to give up. But yesterday made him realize how far apart they really were. He wanted more than anything to be with Yuuri, but it was hard for Viktor to move around as ‘Viktor Nikiforov, world famous genius actor.’ Fans and reporters followed him wherever he went…

Sometimes he just wanted to be average. To be someone who could latch onto Yuuri’s shoulder in public without a mask and a pair of sunglasses. To be able to take a morning walk with Makkachin without constantly scanning for reporters. To be able to go to the amusement park with Yurio like normal father. He wanted to be like that Christophe guy. He bet he got to check on Yuuri every hour at their shared workplace and slap Yuuri’s butt every chance he got. Christophe got to see Yuuri more than Viktor did. Viktor pushed himself so he could finish his work fast enough to catch Yuuri before Yurio fell asleep, but that wasn’t enough. He wanted more. More warmth, more love, more Yuuri. 

Viktor groaned into his pillow. Today was supposed to be a lovely day where he got to walk around with Yuuri and Yurio, but his mood had plummeted with his newfound revelation. Viktor ordered room service and ate his lunch and dinner in his room. He wasn’t in the mood for people or leftover reporters. 

But he missed Yuuri. He texted Yuuri a few times, but he received no reply. He still wanted to see him though, so Viktor put on his usual public attire to cover up and sneak out. He decided that the hat was probably enough, so he left his sunglasses in the room. 

In the lobby, Viktor found Yakov with several kids near the front door of the resort, but he didn’t see Yuuri there. The snow and the wind outside looked terrible though. Wasn’t it dangerous for people to be outside? He noticed that the kids looked worried, and some were on the verge of crying. 

‘What happened?’ 

He moved over to Yakov and asked the man what had happened. Yakov took a second to recognize his eyes.

“Vitya! What are you doing here?” 

“Well, I want to see Yurio and his teacher, but I don’t see them here... Do you know where they are?”

Yakov had a look of concern on his face. 

Viktor immediately panicked and put his hand on Yakov’s shoulder with urgency.

“What happened? Where’s Yuuri?” He asked seriously.

Yakov sighed. “They aren’t back yet, Yuuri and your son. Chris went to search for them, but he couldn’t find them.”

“When was the last time you saw them?” Viktor asked the now recognizable kindergarten students.

“By the cable car, but Yurio wandered a little farther, so Yuuri had to look for him. They aren’t back yet...” 

Viktor gave an alarmed look, and Yakov quickly added, “hopefully they’ve found the shelter that the resort built for cases like these.”

Viktor gave him determined look before running off into the snow without hesitation.

“Vitya!! Come back! There’s a snowstorm! The mountain is too dangerous!”

But Viktor wasn’t deterred, and he didn’t stop walking. Yakov sighed in exasperation. This wasn’t good for his old heart.

“Lilia’s going to kill me.” He massaged his head. 

…

Yuuri had been more than relieved to find Yurio, but the blizzard was making it hard to see. He and Yurio had been walking for a while before he saw the lights of the resort. He knew it was within reach, but nature herself was doing everything in her power to slow them down. Yuuri carried Yurio in his arms to keep them moving forward. The boy looked cold and afraid, but he still tried to keep a stoic expression on his face. Not that that really had a point since he was burying his face in Yuuri’s neck. 

“Are we there yet?” Yurio asked tiredly.

Yuuri tried to keep his teeth from chattering. “We're close, just hold on Yurio, don’t sleep.”

He could feel the boy nod, and they walked on in silence.

Slowly but steadily, the lights got clearer and clearer. Yuuri breathed out a sigh of relief. He was ready to grab a few toasty packs and warm himself and Yurio back up.

When they arrived at the front door, they were greeted a crowd of relieved kids and a surprised Yakov.

Yuuri went to grab two new toasty packs from the counter and slipped one into Yurio’s coat. As he adjusted the one for himself, he looked back at Yakov’s shocked expression.

“Yuuri, did you see Viktor while you were out there?” Yakov asked worriedly.

“Viktor? I thought he was inside the inn?” 

“He went out into the snow when he heard that you hadn’t some back with his son yet... I hope nothing happened to that idiot…”

Yuuri went pale. Without thinking, he ran right back out the front door. This was his fault. He had made Viktor worry. There are no signals outside the inn, and he was sure that a cellphone signal wouldn’t reach Viktor even if there was a chance that Viktor could hear his phone in the storm. Yuuri ignored Yakov’s yelling and the kids’ panicked questions.

His mind was only focused on one thing.

He needed to find Viktor.


	9. Heat of Snow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: I live in Tropical country and therefore never experienced any kind of snowstorm or blizzard. so I apologize for any maybe non sense thing regarding health or medical care or whatever it is. And warning for smut :') 
> 
> thank you for editing this @ninjassasin8!! It'll never worked out without you beta-ing this :'D
> 
> Anyway Happy Chinese New Year for everyone who celebrate it. I hope you enjoy this ; v ;

Yuuri didn’t know how long he had been searching through the snow. He had been heading in the direction of the cable car, but he didn’t know where he was anymore, and the snow was making it impossible to see. The sound of the storm had made it hard to hear too, but he had been repeatedly shouting Viktor’s name nevertheless. He knew he couldn’t keep it up though, his body was getting colder and weaker.

“Viktor! Where are you?!” Yuuri shouted again at a treeless field. Lifting his feet from the snow was becoming a challenge too. Carrying Yurio through the blizzard had already nearly exhausted him, and the adrenaline rush from when he heard that Viktor was out in the storm was beginning to wear off. He was approaching his limit.

“Viktor, if you can hear me, please say something!”

He walked a few more steps against the wind.

“Viktor!”

He gritted his teeth to stop them from chattering. 

“Viktor!”

Finally his legs gave out. He let himself rest on his knees and tried to breathe normally. He didn’t know how much longer he could go on, but there was no way he’d go back until he found Viktor. 

Yuuri was still catching his breath when he suddenly heard something. It was muffled, but it wasn’t the howling wind.

It was the sound of someone yelling.

“-ri!”

Yuuri snapped his head up and leaned in the direction of the voice.

“Yuuri!”

Yuuri became alert, but then let out a relieved sigh. He knew that voice, it was Viktor! 

“Viktor!” 

He forced himself get up and walk in that direction. 

“Viktor! Where a-“ suddenly he tripped over the snow around his lower calves. He fell face first into the snow and sank into it unceremoniously. He brought his arms up to lift himself up, but everything felt heavier, and he simply didn’t have the strength anymore. The snow seemed to have a hold on him, and the cold felt like it was pressing physical weight on his back.

“Yuuri! Where are you?” the voice was getting farther and farther away.

“Vik...tor…” he tried to move his arms again, but his vision was starting to go black. He somehow managed to hear the crunch of footsteps approaching him, but he didn’t have the energy to raise his head. Instead, he fell unconscious.

 

…

 

“Yuuri!” Viktor shouted for what must have been the millionth time. He was nowhere near the cable car, and the snow was making it hard to move. 

“Yurio! Yuuri!”

His voice was already getting hoarse from shouting for his son and beloved. He desperately hoped they were both ok and had found shelter.

“Yuuri!” he shouted one last time before stopping to catch his breath. The storm was wearing him down. Luckily he had his mask that helped fend off a little bit of the snow that blew into his face, but the thought simply reminded him that it was one small comfort that Yuuri and Yurio didn’t have. He couldn’t stop until he saw them with his own eyes. 

“Yuuri!” Oh how he wanted to just curl up in a blanket next to a heater in the inn. How he knew that he could if he simply turned back... But of course he couldn’t do that. Not when Yuuri and Yurio were still out there, undoubtedly more cold and exhausted than he was. He couldn’t bear to lose them. Though knowing Yuuri, he wouldn’t let go of Yurio no matter what. He would definitely protect the boy no matter what it took, but who would help Yuuri when he needed it?

Suddenly his ears perked up at a sound that wasn’t the whistling wind. It was faint, but it was definitely there.

“-tor!”

Viktor’s eyes sparkled with near disbelief as he listened closer.

“Viktor!” 

Yuuri! That was his voice! He would know that lovely voice anywhere, even in the middle of a snowstorm.

“Yuuri!” Viktor walked in the direction he thought the voice had come from. He wasn’t 100% sure he was going in the right direction, but surely he would find something if he kept going… He could feel his eyes practically freezing up and the blood in his veins icing over. He would cuddle Yuuri when they got back. The thought helped him move forward. 

“Yuuri, where are you?!”

He shoved past the ice at his feet. He shuffled closer to the sound of the voice, but he didn’t hear it call out again.

“Yuuri!”

There was no answer. Were his ears playing tricks on him? 

“Yuuri! Please don’t leave me! Where are you?!”

Hearing nothing but more wind, he looked around frantically.

“Yuuri! Please answer me!” 

Viktor held up his hands to shield his eyes from the wind. Somehow it felt like the blizzard was getting worse. He doubted he would survive if he stayed out for much longer.

“Yuuri! Please say something!”

He was getting worried. Was he really just hearing things? Was his exhaustion making him delirious? 

Viktor coughed a bit. He needed water. The icy wind was blowing his throat dry. He had found the shelter a while ago, and he knew there was water there. If he gathered the last of his strength then maybe he could reach it, but he simply couldn't when he remembered his family. He recalled Yurio’s stubborn frown and Yuuri’s apologetic smile and steeled his resolve. Viktor braced himself for more of the uphill trek. 

His eyes scanned the mountain slopes in search of a person’s figure, but he didn’t see it anywhere. He was about to turn to search the other side of the snowy field, then something caught his eye.

There was a dark blob in the snow. It was a little buried and unmoving, but it definitely stood out.

Viktor thought back and remembered Yuuri’s dark blue coat. Immediately he started making his way over to check.

Was it Yuuri? What if it wasn’t? Or worse, what if it was?

No.

His heart wasn’t ready for that.

As he approached the figure, his eyes were able to make out a scarf and dark pants. It was undoubtedly a human.

“Yuuri!!” 

He had to calm down now. His hands were trembling and his heart had almost stopped, but now was the worst possible time to panic. Viktor slid his arm under Yuuri’s head and rolled him face up. He wiped the snow from Yuuri’s face and hair and partially unzipped part of Yuuri’s jacket to press his ear to his chest. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore the sound of the wind, hoping against hope that there would be a heartbeat to latch onto. 

It was there. Viktor breathed out a sigh of relief. It was there, but it was weak and slow. Viktor didn’t know how long the heartbeat would keep beating in the unforgiving weather, but he was determined to get Yuuri shelter before he had to find out. 

He slung Yuuri over his back and got moving as fast as he could. Viktor needed to head back to the shelter and somehow keep Yuuri’s body warm. Being unconscious was incredibly dangerous right now.

“Yuuri, please hold on, I can’t bear to lose you...”

‘It’s okay if you reject me, just please don’t leave me...’ He thought to himself repeatedly as he trudged through the worsening snowstorm. He was practically deaf by now. It was scary, but he didn’t falter. Yuuri needed to get out of the storm.

On the way to the shelter, Viktor nearly screamed when he realized he had taken a wrong turn. He had to force himself to calm down and make his way back to his original path. Viktor huffed, refocusing his mind. He was strong. He could do this. He could carry Yuuri to the shelter.

Suddenly Yuuri murmured something.

Viktor’s heart skipped a beat, straining to catch his words.

“Yurio…”

Viktor’s heart stopped. What about his son? Was he lost in the blizzard? Was that why he hadn’t been with Yuuri?

He heard Yuuri moan in pain, but he found the strength to yell above the wind, “he’s safe! Inside the inn…!” The outburst sapped the last of his reserve energy, and his head dropped back down.

Viktor breathed out in relief. His son was safe! He would be jumping for joy if the love of his life wasn’t slowly dying. Yurio was safe, but Yuuri was most definitely not. 

“Yuuri, stay with me! Don’t sleep!” But Yuuri was completely out, and Viktor gritted his teeth. 

‘Yuuri, please get a hold of yourself…’ He had to help Yuuri fast. He was so weak and pale. Despite his steady progress, Viktor had never felt so helpless in his life.

He didn’t know how long he spent dragging himself through the snow, but eventually a cabin came into view. The feeling of helplessness faded, and all he could feel was immense relief and a renewed sense of hope.

He quickened his pace and didn’t slow until he was right in front of the door. It was a little jammed, but Viktor managed to forced it open with a creak.

The cabin was vacant but small. It only had a small fireplace, a stack of wood, a small table, a tiny couch, a cabinet, and a few futons folded neatly in a corner. Viktor cursed when he couldn’t find a heater anywhere. The best he could do was an electric blanket that was folded on the futons, but it would have to do. He set Yuuri down gently on the small couch and frowned at his blue lips. He had to work fast.

The cabin was freezing cold, so Viktor quickly threw the electric blanket over Yuuri, got himself a bottle of water from the cabinet, and set out the futon out in front of the fireplace. He quickly placed the firewood in the fireplace with some tinder and rummaged through the cabinet for a box of matches. He managed to find them eventually, and he found himself cursing with every failed stroke of the match against the matchbox. Why wouldn’t the stick just light up already!?

His hand was shaky and wet. He squinted at Yuuri, who still had snowflakes on his skin. Was he really so cold that his body heat couldn’t melt the ice? Viktor went pale. Thankfully it only took two more tries to light the match. He quickly tossed it onto a patch of tinder and watched as the fire began to spread. Anxiously, he lifted Yuuri off the couch and placed him on the futon. He made quick work of Yuuri’s coat and shoes before covering Yuuri with the blanket again. Only after Yuuri was settled did he slip in beside Yuuri. He tried to cover as much of Yuuri with his own body as he possibly could in hopes of warming him up, just a little.

They laid there like that for a while, and Viktor found that Yuuri hadn’t gotten any warmer. Viktor was out of his mind. He cradled Yuuri’s cheek in his hand and found it cold as ice. Was he too late? Had Viktor failed to save him?

He couldn’t let Yuuri die, but his body was so weak and cold... His eyes filled with tears that threatened to spill over as he looked upon Yuuri’s face.

“Don’t leave me, Yuuri.” He rubbed his cheek against Yuuri’s, attempting to give some warmth, but still to no avail. The heat of the fire and the blanket weren’t enough for Yuuri. Not at this rate. Viktor breathed in and thought to himself. What else could he do? Viktor wasn’t exactly incredibly warm either. His clothes were still damp from the… Snow… And so were Yuuri’s! How could he be so stupid!?

Viktor didn’t hesitate to remove his and Yuuri’s clothes. He only admired Yuuri’s slight frame a little bit before refocusing. He kept their boxers on and pressed Yuuri’s body against him, desperately trying to transfer his body heat to the freezing man in his arms. He kissed Yuuri’s eyes, cheeks, and lips repeatedly, silently begging him to get better. He rubbed his hands on Yuuri’s and pulled the blanket tighter around them. Yuuri was pressed against his chest, and Viktor had entangled their legs to give Yuuri as much contact as he could.

Quietly, Viktor whispered into Yuuri’s ear, hoping that Yuuri would be able to hear him somehow. “You still have to answer me. Don’t leave now.”

"Please."

He ignored whatever discomfort Yuuri’s freezing body caused him as he hugged the man tighter. He didn’t like how frail he felt. Viktor sighed anxiously. At least the futon was getting warmer. That was a small comfort. God, if this were any other occasion, he would be more than happy about hugging Yuuri naked in a futon.

Viktor cast out his inappropriate thoughts. Not the time. But the warmth of the futon was soothing, and he found that Yuuri’s body wasn’t as bone chillingly cold anymore. He tried to keep himself awake, but in the end, fatigue caught up to him. He closed his eyes.

 

…

 

‘It’s warm...’ 

Yuuri nudged closer to that warmth, reveling in the feeling of pure comfort. He wasn’t completely awake yet, but on a subconscious level, he knew he didn’t want to let go of the pleasant moment. 

Something oddly soft but firm was in front of his face. But that didn’t matter, the thing was warm and smelled really nice. He savored it happily...

Wait. This scent. He knew this scent. 

Wasn’t it...

Yuuri slowly opened his eyes and was greeted by a sight of a man’s bare chest. His eyes went wide, and he looked up, only to have his head hit by a chin. He grumbled in pain, and a reciprocating groan resounded through the man’s chest. Yuuri instinctively tried to move back, but a pair of arms around his waist kept him in place. His dark brown eyes met wide blue ones, and for a moment, the only sound to be heard was the sound of wind rattling against the window and the crackle of the fireplace. 

Yuuri blinked once, twice. Then he saw a grin cross Viktor’s face.

“Yuuri! You’re awake!” Viktor tightened his grasp, pulling Yuuri into an almost suffocating hug.

“Vi-viktor?” His voice came out as a croak. Viktor frowned as Yuuri tried to clear his throat.“I’ll bring you some water. Wait a second.”

Viktor emerged from the warm futon and stepped on to the hard floor. Yuuri almost whimpered at the loss of warmth, but then gaped when he saw Viktor almost naked. The light from the fireplace cast a glow on Viktor's muscles in a way that had Yuuri blushing furiously. 

He buried his face in his hand, only to realize that he was as naked as Viktor was. What happened? Why were they only in their boxers? And where were his clothes now?!

Suddenly Viktor slid back under the covers with a water bottle in hand.

“Sorry it’s cold. I couldn’t find a water heater.”

Viktor sat patiently as he watched Yuuri take the water bottle and drink from it with a bright red blush. 

It was freezing. He cringed a little at the feeling, and suddenly he felt the urge to scoot closer to Viktor for warmth again. When he was done drinking, Viktor placed the bottle on the ground, shifted something in the fireplace with a nearby stick, and quickly looked back down at Yuuri. 

“How are you feeling, Yuuri?” 

Yuuri tore his eyes away from Viktor’s, looking anywhere but at his face and well defined chest. “Um, well, I think I’m ok, just a little cold... But… Would you mind telling me where my clothes are…? And why are we both mostly naked?” He pulled the blanket with him as he sat up.

Viktor’s expression was hard to read, but eventually he answered, “Yuuri, I found you lying in the snow after who knows how long.” He pulled Yuuri into a tight hug, as if he felt like Yuuri would slip away if his hold wasn’t strong enough. “Yuuri, I was so scared that I’d lost you. I got you to the cabin, but you were so cold…”

Viktor breathed in before continuing, “I did everything I could, but you wouldn't warm up... Well, at least not until not until I took our clothes off,” Viktor said with a forced laugh. He touched Yuuri's forehead and cheeks with a slight blush. 

“You’re not freezing like before, thank goodness. And our clothes are on the couch, just so you know.” Another strained chuckle. Yuuri gave a disbelieving look. He remembered falling down in the snow and blacking out, but that was it... And Viktor had warmed him with his own body? That's why they were both naked? His cheeks re-flushed with embarrassment. 

Yuuri breathed out to calm himself down, self consciously clutching the blanket a little closer to his body. When his heart rate slowed to something close to normal, he looked up and smiled gratefully. “Thank you, Viktor. I owe you my life.”

Viktor nudged closer. “I wish you didn't... I wish you'd never needed me to bring you back from the brink of death. You really scared me back there. Please, don’t ever do that again.” Viktor suddenly engulfed him in another big hug.

Yuuri gasped and tried to wiggle some space between them, but Viktor didn't loosen his grip. After almost losing Yuuri, he didn't want to let Yuuri go just yet. 

"So, Yurio is back at the inn, but you were out in storm? Did you drop him off and go back for a stroll or something?” he joked as he inhaled Yuuri’s scent, savoring every second. Yuuri sighed, surrendering to Viktor's warm embrace. 

Yuuri nodded. “Yakov said you were out in the snow looking for us. I couldn't leave you out there alone."

Viktor looked at him with wide eyes. “So you went back into a blizzard for me. You almost died because of me." 

Yuuri shook his head frantically. “No, no, that's not the case! I was careless, and you saved me. I'm ok because of you.” He let go of the blanket with one hand and rubbed soothing circles into Viktor's back. “Besides, who can blame you for wanting to save your son? And if I hadn't gone after you, then you would've been the one dying of hypothermia. No one would've been there to bring you to a cabin. Who knows what would've happened.” Yuuri shivered at the thought. He didn't like the idea of Viktor being alone in his position. He didn't regret following Viktor into the storm one bit.

“Don't blame yourself. I’m alive, ok?" Viktor was still looking at him with guilty eyes, so Yuuri cupped his cheek and gave him a warm smile. “I’m here, Viktor.” 

Viktor’s breath hitched at that. He leaned his weight on Yuuri until his back was pressed against the futon and Viktor was hugging him from above. 

“You know, Yuuri, you still haven’t answered me yet," He whispered softly into Yuuri's ear. Viktor held the position with bated breath, unsure of how Yuuri would respond. 

“Viktor, about my answer…” 

Viktor tensed. 

Yuuri took in a breath to calm his heart down. But he had to speak now before he lost the courage. 

“You know I’m not good with people, exposure, or attention in general…”

Viktor had to force himself to breathe to fight off the twisting feeling in his stomach. 

“And after that reporter, I know that being with you might be a little... Dangerous... And I’m still not sure what it is about me that you find interesting... Also I don’t have a lot of confidence in my ability to keep you satisfied, especially when you're always surrounded by beautiful people at work...”

Viktor wanted to say something, but his throat wouldn't make a sound. He braced himself, and prepared his heart to be shattered by Yuuri's rejection. 

“So I don't know how this will end, and I don't know if I'm ready for it…”

Viktor closed his eyes, not ready for his next words.

“But… I’m willing to try. I’ll... I'll do my best, Viktor. As Yurio's caretaker and as your l-lover.” Yuuri hid his face in Viktor’s shoulder. 

“If you'll have me, then I'll try to be stronger, so that I can proudly stand by your side,” he whispered quietly, almost inaudibly. 

The world seemed to still as Yuuri anxiously waited for Viktor to reply. The silence persisted. 

“Um... Viktor?”

Suddenly the man pushed himself up so that he could see Yuuri's expression. 

“W-wait, hold on, d-did you just...?” Viktor stammered out.

Yuuri eyed him questioningly. Why was Viktor looking at him like that? Did Viktor not hear him properly? Did he change his mind? He scratched his cheek nervously.

“I-if you changed your mind then it’s okay! I mean- it took so long for me to answer-“

“NO!” Viktor suddenly yelled out, unable to stop himself. He cleared his throat and tried again, “I mean, no, I haven't changed my mind. I’m just… shocked, really. I thought you’d reject me for sure.” He turned to Yuuri, teary eyed. “You… You really meant that, right? You weren't joking or faking or messing with me, right?” 

He could hear the trembling in Viktor’s voice. Was he really that worried about it? Yuuri blinked once before shaking his head uncertainly. 

“N-no, of course not... I really think that trying a relationship with you is worth it..."

Viktor couldn't even express how happy he felt. His heart was ready to burst, and his mouth couldn't find the right words. So instead of saying anything, he smiled impossibly wide and hugged Yuuri like his life depended on it. 

“V-Viktor! Y-you know, I'm sure our c-clothes are done drying now! Maybe we should go put them on...?" 

It was great that Viktor was happy about Yuuri's response, but his show of "happiness" also happened to be manifesting itself in the form of a shameless kind of hardness that was currently pressed up against Yuuri's thigh. Yuuri was was weak and easily flustered around Viktor NORMALLY, this kind of attention might be more than he could handle. 

At the very least, he had managed to convey his feelings properly. He had managed to stay calm while he confessed, and that fact alone went far beyond his expectations. The problem now was that confessing to Viktor while Viktor was hugging him naked ALSO far exceeded his expectations. With Viktor's boner pressing against him, there was no way Yuuri would be able to avoid sporting one of his own unless he found a way to get up right this second.... Though Viktor didn't seem to have any intention of letting him go anytime soon. Quite the contrary, in fact, he began kissing Yuuri repeatedly  
wherever he could reach. 

“I’m sorry Yuuri... But you wouldn't believe how happy I am right now... I'm having a hard time restraining myself... Is this ok?"

Just being pressed up against Yuuri's pretty body was making him ready to burst. He didn't know how many times he had dreamed of this, but the real thing was so much better than any fantasy he had ever come up with. Yuuri’s skin was so soft and pale... And warm now too. He smiled at the thought. A stray hand roamed down Yuuri's side to grasp his slender hip. The younger of the two gasped. 

“V-viktor!” 

“Your body is gorgeous, you know. You don’t know how many times I’ve imagined you lying under me, pliant like this. It's been hard, stopping myself from touching you too much." 

Uh, but Viktor was always craving hugs and touches and skinship?? Was that seriously him holding back?? Yuuri covered his face with his hands, unable to look Viktor in the eye. 

“Yuuri, look at me.” 

But Yuuri persistently continued to cover his face. At least until Viktor grinded down on him and surprised the offending hands away with squeak from Yuuri. 

“Viktor!” he was greeted by smirk on that handsome face. Suddenly Viktor's head came down to rest on his shoulder. 

“V-Viktor…? What’s wrong?” Unsure of what to do, Yuuri waited for a response. 

“Yuuri... It's too much... With the real you in front of me, I don't want to stop.... Yuuri, can we please...?“

Yuuri gave him a blank look that turned serious when he realized what was happening. “Viktor… I don't want to see you suffering, but... This is all new to me... I'm nervous, and I don't know what to do...” he said shakily. The other man groaned, pressing their bodies together.

“Stop giving me that look Yuuri.” Suddenly Yuuri felt a pair of lips press against his own, desperately nibbling his lower lip to the point where he was sure it would be swollen tomorrow. Yuuri moved his head back for some air, but Viktor chased his lips, not quite satisfied yet. 

“W-wait! Viktor! Let me b-breathe!” For a moment, there was nothing but hard panting from the both of them. The fireplace cast a warm glow over Viktor’s flushed face. 

“You know, ever since I met you, I haven't looked at anyone else. I've been keeping my sexual urges to myself for eight months, and I don't want you running away scared now.” He kissed Yuuri’s palm. “It definitely hasn't been easy."

Yuuri was beyond embarrassed and completely red, but he spread his hand over Viktor's cheek. Viktor was just so beautiful, and touching him somehow felt unreal. He had spent nights staring at the posters on his wall, and being able to touch the real thing felt like some kind of crazy dream that he would soon have to wake up from. His heart pounded loudly in his chest. The man above him was looking at him with love and a hint of lust, but also a willingness to be understanding and give Yuuri space if he needed it. 

“Viktor, I love you.” 

Viktor's breath hitched at that, and Yuuri smiled shyly before whispering silently, 

“Teach me how to make love to you.” 

Viktor's eyes were now heavily clouded with lust. “Yuuri, you will be the death of me.”

 

…

 

The night was dark, and their only source of light, the fireplace shined prettily over Yuuri's flushed body. His legs were spread apart, and Viktor’s member was somewhere between them. It was big, hot, and thick, especially when it was buried deep inside him. As Viktor moved above him, Yuuri's skin glistened with sweat and cum. He didn't know how many times Viktor had taken him, but it felt incredible once he got used to the feeling. Yuuri’s body was flexible and capable of accommodating Viktor's size and desire. 

As Viktor released inside of him again, Yuuri moaned in pleasure. He couldn't look away from the way Viktor's member disappeared into his body or get over the feeling of Viktor filling him up. Viktor seemed to be enjoying himself, judging by how quickly he was able to recover. 

Now, Viktor had good stamina, but Yuuri's was better. When Viktor finally began feeling tired, Yuuri was begging for another round. Yuuri moaned in pain when Viktor bit his neck hard in response before kissing his spread thigh and swollen hole. He fingered the already lose muscle before pushing in again. 

Viktor grinned as he gazed at the man that had haunted his dreams for months now. The real deal wasn't like his fantasies. It was so much better. Would he ever be able to look at Yuuri's body the same way again? Surely he would be only be reminded of this night, when he took Yuuri’s first time. He would remember the sight of Yuuri spread out under him, or bent in half as he took him hard and slow. He would remember the sight of Yuuri's wet, abused hole, clenching around his member like he didn't want to let go. Every sweet moan, every shallow gasp would be etched in his memory forever. He would preserve it. 

By dawn, they were both panting in exhaustion. Yuuri's lower parts were wet and sore. When he decided he was satisfied, he fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, surrounded by Viktor. He was tired, numb, and sticky, but happy nonetheless. He had just had sex with Viktor Nikiforov, his childhood idol and adulthood love. Nothing could describe the feeling. 

Viktor brushed a stray hair from Yuuri’s forehead slowly, admiring his features. The younger one had fallen into a deep sleep. Unable to resist, Viktor kissed his forehead just one more time. 

After taking Yuuri's first time, Viktor was more than ready to take responsibility.

It felt natural for them to be entangled with each other like this. It was a different feeling from all his past lovers. No one else could make him feel as at peace with the world as Yuuri could. Silently, he wished he could go to sleep and wake up like this every day. Viktor smiled happily before falling into a deep sleep of his own.

 

…

 

The wind wasn't howling anymore. The storm had faded, and Viktor was the first to wake up. The first thing he did was search for a towel to gently wipe Yuuri clean. His self control wasn't quite strong enough to keep his hands from lingering just a little longer than necessary on some parts of Yuuri's body. Yuuri's torso and thighs were covered in bruises and bite marks, and Viktor couldn't help kissing at least a few of them slowly. 

Viktor shook his head and slapped himself to drive away the dirty thoughts. Yuuri probably wouldn't be able to handle any more sexy moments after last night. Viktor wondered if he was too rough... But he just couldn't hold himself back after Yuuri flipped his switch. 

Rubbing his eyes with both hands, Viktor looked out the window. The snow was thick and piled high, but it looked possible to walk through. Viktor slipped their clothes under the futon to warm them up. His boxers were completely ruined, so he’d probably throw those out when they got back to the inn. 

Viktor almost didn’t want to leave the cabin. He would always remember it as the place where Yuuri accepted his confession and gave Viktor his first time. Viktor touched his cheeks, practically walking on air. It was then that he heard a sound from Yuuri, a quiet, sleepy groan. Those warm chocolate eyes looked around the room before locking on to Viktor standing by the table in all his naked glory.

“Good morning, my love~!” Viktor greeted him cheerfully.

Yuuri yelped in surprised and hid back under the blanket, only to find himself wincing in pain. His lower half was sore. He grumbled in pain at the foreign feeling before blushing at the memory of last night.

God, this “morning after” scenario was embarrassing wasn't it? He was naked! In front of Viktor! After night of sex! He wasn’t leaving this blanket until he died… He mumbled anxiously before Viktor ripped the covers off of him. He squeaked in surprise. 

Viktor smiled happily at him, admiring his handiwork on a flustered, fully functional Yuuri. 

“Don’t hide, my love~ There’s nothing to hide after last night~!” His words made Yuuri blush even harder. He covered his body with both arms and drew his legs to his chest (it was still a little painful).

“V-Viktor, where are my clothes?” Yuuri asked, blatantly avoiding looking at the man leering at him.

Viktor tilted his head. “Unfortunately, both of our boxers are out of the question. But our clothes are warming up under the futon.” 

Yuuri blushed upon hearing that. He quickly rummaged below the futon. 

“Aww, don’t put them on yet~ They’re still a little damp.” Viktor caught his hand before he could pull out his pants.

“I- I have shorts that I wore outside my boxers… I should probably at least put those on...” 

Viktor looked at him questioningly. He hadn’t even noticed when he pulled off Yuuri’s pants. 

“Ah, okay.” 

Viktor pulled out his own pants as well and slid them on.

Yuuri put on his shorts and the sweater that he had been wearing under his coat. Viktor had stopped at his pants, so his muscular upper body was still completely on display. Yuuri had to look away from the scratches on Viktor’s back and the marks on his shoulders. He wondered if they would be ok considering Viktor’s job as an actor and model. He felt a little guilty for getting carried away last night… Yuuri rubbed his head. Idly he wondered how the kids were doing back at the resort, and then suddenly a thought occurred to him. 

“Viktor, won’t someone come looking for us out here? We should get dressed in case-“

Suddenly there was a muffled sound. Their ears perked up.

Viktor looked at him questioningly. “What was that?” He asked, looking over at the window. Yuuri shushed him, and he went quiet. 

Talking. The muffled sound was a human voice that was steadily coming closer. 

Yuuri’s heart stopped. 

People! He hoped there are no reporters in tow.

Yuuri quickly pulled on his pants and threw Viktor’s shirt at him. 

“Viktor! There are people here! Maybe they’re looking for us! Put on your shirt now!”

Viktor picked the shirt up, but he put it on slowly, taking his time with the buttons and humming happily as he did it.

Yuuri was panicking. He quickly moved to Viktor and helped him button up his shirt.

“What’s the rush? I don’t mind anyone seeing me like this. What do we have to hide now that you’re-“

“I mind! And I’d like to at least try to maintain a sense of decen-“

 

The sound of the door being opened resounded throughout the shelter, making Yuuri freeze in place. He wasn’t ready to face anyone in his current state. He stared at the door in horror as he watched Lilia and then Georgi step into the cabin, apparently out of breath. There were several men behind them, and all caught Yuuri buttoning up Viktor’s shirt. Yuuri quickly took his hands away.

“Thank goodness you’re both okay… Wait.” She glanced over both of them with a judging look.

“What were the two of you doing?” Lilia asked, taking note of Viktor’s crumpled state of dress and Yuuri’s disheveled clothes. 

Yuuri reddened and Viktor scratched his head.

“Well, you see, a lot happened.” The silver haired man slipped his arm around Yuuri’s waist, making Lilia’s eyes widen.

She sighed in exasperation and pulled Viktor’s ear, dragging him out of the cabin. Viktor whined in pain as he was forcibly brought out, flailing his arms to get Yuuri to come along too. Yuuri gave a sigh of his own and grabbed his and Viktor’s coats.

Embarrassingly, Yuuri almost fell down twice as he followed the group out. Lilia and everyone else could definitely see that he was limping. Viktor helped support him as they walked through the snow, and Yuuri adamantly stared at the ground, refusing to meet anyone’s eyes. 

Lilia face palmed. “Both of you have a lot of explaining to do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if it is not good. And sorry I have sinned /cries


	10. A kiss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Lilyau is here, and did any of you notice I added 1 last chapter before this fic truly end? XD next chapter will be an epilog and time skip. So this chapter will close it all before the epilog happened.
> 
> And as always thank you for beta-ing my work @ninjassasin8 !! 
> 
> I'm sorry for any grammar, mistakes, mispelled or any imperfectness in this fic :') I hope you enjoy this, thank you!!

Lilia sat in front of Yuuri and Viktor. Her face was hard and critical, and her stiff posture showed that she was waiting for an explanation. Not that she couldn’t make a pretty good inference from the way Yuuri was walking. 

“So?” She glared sharply at Viktor, who bit his lip before looking at Yuuri, who was mumbling incoherently in the face of Lilia’s stern expression. Viktor looked at him with concern and gently patted his back to calm him down. Yuuri looked up to meet his eyes and Viktor looked back. They stayed like that for a moment, getting lost in each other’s eyes before Lilia cleared her throat, snapping both of them back to reality.

“Both of you are hopeless. I’m still here.” 

They both averted their eyes, embarrassed, until Viktor decided to speak up.

“I’m sorry for worrying you Lilia….” Taking in a breath, he began to explain the events of the previous day. Yuuri kept waiting for her to interrupt, but she stayed silent until the end of Viktor’s story. When it was over, she looked between the two with an unreadable expression before sighing in exasperation.

“Why now, of all times?”

Yuuri looked at her, wide eyed and unsure of what to say. Viktor put a comforting hand over his.

“Do you know how many journalists are waiting to hear about this? They already know that Viktor went out into a blizzard to look for a kindergarten teacher. You do understand that they’ll want to interview both of you, right?” she said pointedly to Yuuri. “Are you sure you can face the world as Viktor Nikiforov’s lover? Can you handle that kind of attention?”

Yuuri took in a breath, clutching his clothes tightly. But then he looked up and answered with a determined, unwavering look, “I may never be ready, but that won’t stop me from trying. I’ll do my best.” 

Viktor gazed at him lovingly, and Lilia sighed into her hand. She was hiding a small smile though, pleasantly surprised at the nature of the man Viktor had chosen. For all she’d heard from Viktor, she’d expected him to meek and nervous. Sure he wasn’t perfect, but he was as close to perfect as he could get for Viktor.

“So tell me then, will you try to prolong your anonymity? Or are you planning to announce your status to those reporters as soon as you get the chance?”

Yuuri blinked at her. In truth, he wasn’t sure how to respond to that… What did he want?

“I want to let the whole world know.”

Yuuri looked over at Viktor, who had given his opinion without hesitation. “I want to show the world that Yuuri is mine, but if Yuuri doesn’t want to, then that’s ok. I’ll stand by whatever he wants.”

Yuuri peeked up at him before turning his gaze to the floor. The floor pattern was a lot less intense than the eyes of these two russians. He considered his options.

Although he too wanted to let the world know about him and Viktor, he didn’t really want to be in the public eye. He liked his quiet life… But then again...

“I-if viktor wanted to, then I…”

“Personally, I think it would be best to keep a low profile. The news will come out eventually, so you should enjoy your peace while you can. Isn’t that right, Viktor?” Lilia said to the man at Yuuri’s side. She could see that Yuuri would still need a little time to adjust. Viktor was just so impatient sometimes, and Yuuri probably spoiled him. Bringing it up herself was the best way to solve this. Viktor really was just too much sometimes… He was usually impulsive and hard to keep track of, but running out into a snowstorm? She understood his reasons, but his actions were too characteristically drastic... She needed a break. Dealing with Viktor and the press was stressful. 

She looked at Yuuri, the main reason for her work piling up so much these past few months. She didn’t hate him, she actually liked him more than Vikor as a person, but her problem was Viktor constantly fussing over him. Though that wasn’t Yuuri’s fault. Perhaps she should pity him instead. Viktor would undoubtedly smother him with love and affection.

“Yuuri, I hope you’ll be prepared to go public sometime within the next few months. It’s not intentional, but knowing Viktor, the media will find out sooner or later.”

Yuuri blushed upon hearing that. Forget ‘next few months,’ people would start speculating as soon as they saw him walk or wince to sit down. He was officially embarrassed enough to crawl under a rock and die.

Suddenly there was a loud banging at the door, and behind it was Yakov with Yurio and Otabek trailing behind him. 

The oldest man’s eyes widened in surprise as he registered the residents of the room. “Li-Lilia?” 

But Yurio stopped him right there by bolting to Yuuri’s side and hugging him. 

“You two are never leaving me alone again! I’m going to sleep on sensei’s lap, and you’re staying right there old man!” Yurio sobbed into Yuuri’s chest, only looking up to growl at Viktor when he addressed him. “Don’t ever go anywhere again! Morons!”

Yurio then closed his puffy red eyes and laid his head down on Yuuri’s lap, stubbornly trying to sleep and not caring at all that there had been a conversation happening just then.

Yuuri laughed awkwardly with all eyes in the room directed at him and soothingly patted Yurio’s back. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him act so sweet,” Georgi commented as he entered the room.

“Indeed,” Lilia agreed. 

Suddenly Otabek added, “he cried all night, and I stayed up with him.” He bowed slightly. “I’ll be getting some sleep now.” He then turned and exited the room, leaving the adults speechless. Viktor loudly shouted “Thank you Otabek!” as the third grader disappeared out the door. He waved his hand as an answer without turning back.

Yakov cleared his throat to get their attention. 

“So Viktor, it seems you’ve gained a certain kind of interest in one of my employees here recently.” He looked at Yuuri and then back at Viktor.

Viktor scratched his head, “Actually I’ve had my eyes on him since the first time we met… I’m sorry, Yakov, it seems I’ll be borrowing him for a little longer than expected.”

Yuuri looked down at the floor, blushing shyly. Yakov sighed. He had already suspected this, but suspecting was different from being proven right.

“I’m going back to inform the rest of the kids that both of you are okay. The journalists are gone for now, so take your time.”

Lilia nodded at him. “Thank you… Yakov.” 

The man’s gaze lingered on her expression for a bit, and then he smiled a little before going back out into the hall.

“Don’t you miss him, Lilia?” Viktor asked after Yakov left the room. She cleared her throat loudly before glaring at him. Yuuri wondered what kind of relationship they had. They seemed to know each other well.

“That is none of your concern, young man. Besides, we need to readdress your apartment. It’s been swarmed by reporters for three days now. I would suggest you move somewhere quieter, at least for a while.”

“Whaaaat?” Viktor whined loudly, resting his head on Yuuri’s shoulder. “But that’s too much of a hassle, don’t you think, Yuuri?” Viktor clung to him despite Yurio still laying there. He had fallen asleep at some point. 

Yuuri patted the boy’s hair repeatedly. “I think it would be even more of a hassle to go back. I saw the reporters on TV, and they’ve really worked up a crowd… We were lucky to have left the place before they arrived.”

Suddenly Lilia turned to him. “Wait. Your home is an inn, isn’t it?”

Yuuri nodded nervously, suddenly intimidated by her intense eyes. 

“And it’s far from Viktor’s apartment...”

Yuuri gulped, wondering what the woman wanted. Yurio stirred in his arms, clutching his shirt even tighter.

“That’s it. Viktor, you and Yurio will move into the inn and stay there until the situation has calmed down.” 

Yuuri’s eyes widened in surprise. Viktor and Yurio living with him? Could that really happen? Unfortunately Lilia didn’t give the idea much time to sink in before adding, “Oh, and Yuuri, when the reporters ask you about what happened in the blizzard, simply say that a rescue found you both and brought you to the shelter. Speak as if nothing happened between the two of you.”

Yuuri was still stunned about the possibility of Viktor and Yurio moving in with him, but he nodded anyway. 

Viktor’s eyes shined with excitement as his thoughts lingered on the same thought as Yuuri. After all, who knew how long it would take for the press to completely give up on staking out his apartment? He had never been so grateful for the paparazzi’s persistence.

Georgi nodded in agreement. To Yuuri he said, “We’ll deal with the media, so it would be best for you to stay quiet and wait here. We’ll sort things out with your parents too.”

Yuuri nodded obediently. He really wouldn’t mind having Viktor and Yurio back at his inn. He wondered if this meant he would get to spend more time with Viktor… His heart pounded in excitement.

Viktor nuzzled his neck, smiling softly. “I’ll see you later, Yuuri. I need to tend to something.” He gave Yuuri a kiss on the forehead before standing up and following Lilia outside. Georgi stayed with Yuuri for a little to check for any lingering issues after Yuuri’s near death experience with hypothermia. When he was satisfied, he stood up and left with a kind smile.

Although it was the middle of the day, Yuuri found himself yawning. He hadn’t really gotten much sleep last night, he remembered with a slight blush. Pushing the thought aside, he carefully got up without disturbing Yurio and pulled on a more comfortable pair of clothes. He turned the lights off, set an alarm on his phone, and curled around Yurio before falling into a deep slumber. 

…

Snow was falling lightly when it was time to go home that evening. The kids hugged Yuuri tightly upon seeing him again. Some of them had been sobbing over him with worry, and some scolded him for staying out so late in bad weather despite his own warnings to them. 

Yuuri flinched a little at the soreness that probably wouldn’t go away for the next few days. It would be difficult to tend to the kids like this, but he would manage somehow. He didn’t regret a thing that happened in that cabin.

Yuuri blushed as he helped load some of the students’ bags. He shook his head, hoping to drive away any embarrassing thoughts. He looked back at the resort and saw Viktor walk out, closely followed by a swarm of reporters. Viktor was answering their questions calmly as he walked, but he managed to wink at Yuuri as he passed by.

Yuuri blushed even harder as he went to fix Minami’s scarf. ‘Did he really just do that in public? What if someone had noticed?’ 

That day, Viktor left the ski resort first. He had to pack a few things from the apartment before heading to Yuuri’s family inn. He assured Yuuri that no one would see “Viktor Nikiforov” walk into the building, just some old fat weird guy. He couldn’t risk leading them back to Yuuri’s home after all. 

The road trip back to Hasetsu was mostly silent, since the kids were exhausted and falling asleep in their seats. Yuuri was just relieved that he didn’t have to break up any fighting. He leaned his head against the window and dozed off until Emil nudged him to tell him that they had arrived. 

…

Yuuri was greeted by his family at Yutopia. He had taken a cab, too tired to walk with all of his luggage. Not to mention too sore to walk period. As his parents and his sister welcomed him and Yurio back, Yuuri mentioned that Yurio’s father would be needing a place to stay soon. He couldn’t elaborate too much without Viktor there though, so he told them that he would explain more when Yurio’s father came.

Before doing anything else, Yuuri helped Yurio unpack his suitcase when he got to his room. He put the dirty laundry in the washing machine with Makkachin and Vicchan nipping at his heels, and then he and Yurio went for a late soak in the onsen.

Viktor came by later, carrying lots of luggage behind him. At first Yuuri’s family looked suspiciously at the weird old fat guy standing in their lobby, but luckily Yuuri was nearby. He greeted Viktor with a hug that Viktor gladly returned. Soon after, Lilia and Georgi filed with their own cover up disguises. 

“Mom, dad, we have something to tell you... Let’s sit down.” He led Viktor to a room with a little more space. His family, along with Lilia and Georgi, followed. When they were settled, Viktor and Yuuri were sitting in front of Yuuri’s parents with Yurio between them. Mari was near the door, curious, and Yuuri’s parents were still warily regarding Viktor, who was still dressed in his suspicious get up. It probably didn’t help that Lilia and Georgi were dressed in sunglasses and hats either. Yuuri drew in a nervous breath.

“We need your help…” he began. “The situation at Yurio’s house has become a little hectic, and he and his father will need a place to stay for a while…” Yuuri looked over at Viktor, who pulled off his hat and padded coat before throwing them in a pile next to them. Mari squinted at his face as Lilia and Georgi removed their hats and sunglasses as well. 

“I’ve been in your care before, and I’d like to thank you for having me back then. Despite looking suspicious, you still treated me well,” Viktor said, scratching his hair a little nervously. He had to make a good impression on Yuuri’s parents, as he was now dating their son. Both of Yuuri’s parents’ eyes widened in surprise.

Lilia cleared her throat. “We’re asking you to keep quiet about Viktor’s presence here. The apartment where he lives is now currently surrounded by journalists. This is temporary, and he will be returning to his home when the activity has calmed down, but in the meantime, we will compensate you accordingly.”

Although both Hiroko and Toshiya registered her words, they were still stuck on the face of the man sitting with their son. Looking at Yuuri, his mother exclaimed, “Yuuri! You knew who he was and didn’t say anything?” Yuuri smiled apologetically, and Hiroko sighed. “Well, I understand why now… and I suppose that also confirms my suspicions about you two.”

Yuuri’s smile twitched. ‘What suspicions?’ Outwardly, he simply laughed awkwardly. Viktor patted his back reassuringly. Mari smirked, seeing something that her family didn’t in the way Viktor subtly calmed Yuuri.

“Yes, I had to keep quiet about Viktor’s identity as his son's caretaker… I’m sorry I couldn’t say anything to you.”

Viktor looked at him guiltily. He felt bad about making Yuuri lie to his family.

“Don’t apologize, Yuuri!” his mother chuckled. “You were helping a child’s parent. And your idol no less! I would be more surprised if you weren’t willing to help the man whose posters are plastered-”

“Aahh, isn’t it getting a little late?” Yuuri interrupted, suddenly standing up. He couldn’t let Viktor know about the posters of him that had been on his wall! He’d die of embarrassment for sure!

Yurio yawned, utterly bored of the conversation. It had been dark outside for hours now, and he was tired. Mari, who had been silent the whole time, squealed at the sight. In turn, Yurio hid his face behind Yuuri and glared at her. 

Toshiya then spoke up, chuckling a little at his son’s outburst in response to his wife’s comment. “Don’t worry, you can stay here, and we won’t tell a soul. We’ll keep your secret.” Yuuri’s parents gave Viktor, Lilia, and Georgi understanding smiles.

The three Russians all breathed out a sigh of relief. They just hoped that Viktor wouldn’t accidentally do something careless like forget to cover his face in front of the other guests.

“Don’t worry Yuuri, I’ll help them as much as I can too,” Mari assured him.

Yuuri smiled thankfully at his family. He was truly lucky to have a mom, dad, and sister as supportive and understanding as they were. 

There was a little more discussion, and then Lilia and Georgi excused themselves, leaving Yuuri and Yurio inside the room while Viktor saw them out to the car. 

While Viktor was with them, Yuuri walked over to the banquet room where Viktor and Yurio would be staying. He helped the blond boy unpack the things that Viktor had brought for him. At some point there was a rustling sound, and Yuuri turned to see Viktor standing in front of the door. 

“So Yuuri, what’s this about posters that your mom was saying?” Viktor asked curiously. Yuuri looked away, already flustered.

“N-nothing! Just an old poster that I had! When I was a kid! Yeah...” He laughed awkwardly, bu Viktor didn’t seem to be buying it. He moved closer to Yuuri. 

“That sounds interesting… What about this poster?” 

Yuuri flailed for a good answer. “It’s nothing, Viktor! Really!”

Viktor hummed lightly, but decided not to press the matter.

“Well, we can finish unpacking here. You don’t have to help.”

“I want to help though.” Yuuri looked up at him, making Viktor want to hug him for being so cute.

“There’s no need, Yuuri. Besides, you need to get ready. We’re going out tonight. Ice skating. Yuuko helped me out, and I’ve rented the rink for tonight.”

Yuuri frowned, “Is it really okay to go now, Viktor? It’s really late.”

Viktor smiled and put on his surgical mask. “All the more reason to go. There won’t be as many people outside at this hour. And besides, even if there are people out there...” he stepped closer to Yuuri, kissing his hand.

“I’m the world’s best actor! I can be anyone! Don’t worry~”

Yuuri laughed at Viktor’s nonsensical antics. “I’ll get ready then,” Yuuri said, getting up to walk past Viktor. He was three steps from the door when Viktor suddenly pulled him back into a kiss. It was completely unexpected, and Yurio groaned in disgust.

“I’m staying here! At least Makkachin and Vicchan won’t be gross like you!” he pushed them out, slamming the door shut and locking it. Viktor tried to apologize while Yuuri found some warm clothes, but neither of them could get the door to budge when Yuuri was ready to leave. Before walking out the door, Yuuri made sure to ask his family to check on Yurio if they had the time. 

Once they were outside, Viktor grabbed his hand and pulled him forward, excited about getting to the Ice Castle. Once he was too tired to keep running, they walked side by side down the empty road with their intertwined hands in Viktor’s coat pocket. 

It doesn’t take them too long to reach Hasetsu’s Ice castle. The door was open, and there was an old lady there to greet them with a smile. Yuuri greeted Yuuko’s mother warmly, and she gushed over how much he’d grown. She gave them their skates and went back to take inventory and give them some privacy.

Yuuri was lacing up his shoes on the bench when he asked, “So tell me Viktor… Why did you want to come here?” Viktor smiled at him. 

“Yuuri, can you skate?”

Yuuri nodded. “I can skate. I could actually do some spins and a few jumps, but I’m sure I’m rusty by now… I know you can skate. I saw that one movie where you were a figure skating coach.”

Viktor smiled upon hearing that. “Yes, that was an interesting movie… Since we both know how to skate, why don’t we go and skate together?” Viktor shrugged off his coat, and they proceed to glided slowly onto the ice. Viktor admired the way Yuuri’s body moved and swayed easily on the ice. It made his heart swell with happiness and pride.

“Yuuri,” Viktor called to him, and Yuuri skated back to Viktor with a questioning look. Viktor smiled at him and touched his cheek softly.

With his other hand, he pulled out a small box from his pocket and opened it. Holding the box out, Viktor presented to Yuuri a gold ring. 

“Happy Birthday, Yuuri. I’m sorry I’m late.” 

Yuuri blinked, unable to believe what he was seeing.

Pulling the ring out of the box, Viktor said, “I got this two months ago, and I’ve been waiting to give it to you ever since. It’s a little funny you know, I bought this without much thought...” Viktor laughed at how silly it was. He hadn’t even known what Yuuri’s answer would be, but he’d bought the ring anyway.

“V-viktor!” Yuuri blushed brightly, looking down at the golden ring in front of him. His hand trembled as Viktor slipped it onto finger. It shined beautifully under the lowlights of the ice rink. For a moment, both were silent. Yuuri looked at Viktor quietly, and Viktor looked back.

“Th-thank you, Viktor, it’s… Honestly it’s bit much, but thank you. I didn’t expect anything from you for my birthday…” Yuuri was so nervous he could barely think straight.

“Y-your birthday is on December 25th, right?” Yuuri asked shyly. 

Viktor nodded. “Yes… Are you planning something for me, Yuuri? I can’t wait~”

Yuuri looked away sheepishly. “Well then, I’ll have to give you something to look forward to...” Viktor beamed in excitement, already excited to see what Yuuri would come up with. 

“Yuuri, I really love you.” Viktor gathered Yuuri into his arms and gave a sincere squeeze. 

“Why do you have to be so adorable that I can’t hold myself back, Yuuriii~?” 

Yuuri could only laugh weakly. He certainly wouldn’t have called himself “adorable,” but if Viktor was the one saying it, then he couldn’t argue.

“So you brought me here to give me this?” Yuuri looked down at the ring on his finger. It looked expensive, and he wondered if it was really right for him to have such a luxury.

“Yes, Yuuri, you deserve it. I want the world to know that you’re off limits.”

Yuuri chuckled upon hearing that. “Oh Viktor...”

They gazed into each other’s eyes until the voice of Yuuko’s mother reminded them of their time limit.

Both of them chuckled sheepishly as they walked out of the rink, side by side. As they left the building, they took a moment to admire the softly falling snow that had begun to cover the ground.

…

It was Christmas day when a journalist spotted Viktor walking alongside Yuuri and Yurio, who were looking for Yurio’s Christmas present and celebrating Viktor’s birthday. Yuuri had gotten him a golden ring. It was a little pricey, but luckily his caretaker’s paycheck allowed him to afford it. 

They both wore their matching rings as they walked around the mall with Yurio in Yuuri’s arms. The reporter first recognized Yuuri as the man who had dominated Viktor’s instagram feed two months ago, and then he saw the blue eyed man next to him.

Yurio scoffed when they had to run from the reporter and ended up drawing a crowd. It was a mess. In the end they got back to Viktor’s apartment, deciding not to risk going back to Yutopia with so many reporters in tow. Yuuri closed the door with a sigh of relief, even though he knew they would probably have to step out again anyway to explain their relationship before the media made up any crazy rumors. 

These peaceful days had passed far too quickly. He had spent a lot of time with Viktor and Yurio, and those moments of happiness would forever be etched into his memories. The laugh, the pain, everything happened between them.

They were precious to him. 

His precious love. 

Yuuri closed his eyes to calm himself down. Viktor patted his back softly while Yurio rubbed his tiny hands on his shoulder.

It would be ok. Viktor would be by his side, and he would be by Viktor’s. They would support each other, and neither would let the other fall. 

Yuuri smiled at Viktor who was looking at him with worry. He smiled gratefully at the best thing ever to happen to him, and he rubbed Yurio’s hair lovingly. His precious student was also a part of why he was where he was now. 

After a moment Yuuri looked back to the older one, “Viktor, let’s go talk to them,” he said with a determined look.

Viktor smiled at his lover, full of pride. His gaze then turned serious, and he kissed Yuuri on the forehead. He knew to savor these moments whenever they came up.

Yuuri stepped out of the apartment with Viktor beside him. Yurio waved to them in front of Otabek’s door as they descended down the elevator. In the minute that it took for the elevator to reach the ground, they intertwined their hands and gave each other wordless, loving looks. 

The elevator dinged, and they stepped out into the lobby as people crowded around them. The flash of cameras and the sound of people demanding answers blurred out of Yuuri’s range of awareness. But his attention was focused solely on the silver haired next to him.

‘I’m the one who stole him from the world.’

They closed their eyes, hands tightly gripping each other. 

‘My precious love.’

They kissed in front of all the people and all the cameras, even the screams of shock with the flashes of light couldn’t look away from the moment. 

In that moment there was only Viktor and Yuuri. They both laughed at each other. They are happy. That was the only thing that mattered at the moment.


	11. Treasure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello finally this is the end :') I had to write this because Yuuri had ended the last chapter from his POV and so in this chapter Viktor will close it from His POV. 
> 
> And I'm currently writing my new story and it'll be omegaverse with quite dark theme.  
> I hope I can finish it :') thank you for all of your kudos, comment because you gave time to read this imperfect fics :') 
> 
> and as always thank you for your help for editing these 11 chapters @ninjassasin8 ^^ 
> 
> So I'll be out of here. I hope you enjoy this X'D

“Yurio, hold on! I can take you to school.” Yuuri walked quickly to the door when he saw that Yurio had left the dining room.

“It’s ok, I’m going with Otabek.” The boy slung his backpack across his shoulder. He was a third grader now, and had gotten bigger and taller. He looked ready to conquer the world.

Yurio was already at the front door with his lunch box. He stretched out both of his hands, a gesture for Yuuri to crouch down. The blond boy kissed his cheek before turning to leave the apartment. He only looked back briefly to loudly shout, “get well whenever, old man!” into the living room. Said “old man” whined in response.

“I’m twenty seven, Yurio! Twenty seven is not old!” Viktor coughed as soon as his words were out. Yurio smirked before turning back around. “You’re still older than us though, so don’t die while I’m at school.” 

“How sweet of you,” Viktor said with a sour smile. He waved his hand at the door, but Yurio had already closed it and walked away.

Yuuri chuckled. “He’s growing up,” he said to himself happily. He walked back to the kitchen, heading for the pot of soup that he had left to simmer for a while.

“Yuuri~” Viktor whined from the couch like a child. “I’m cold, Yuuri! Please come here~” Viktor gathered the blankets closer, and Yuuri swore he saw a tear threaten to fall when he looked back.

He sighed, giving the soup another mix before turning off the stove. He put the wooden spoon over the top of the pot and went to sit down on the couch to tend to his husband.

“How’s your fever?” he asked gently as he patted Viktor’s head like he usually did for Yurio.

Sometimes it was like he had two babies in the house. 

Viktor buried his face in Yuuri’s shoulder, gripping his waist tightly. “Yuuuriiii! I’m dying!” Yuuri sighed. Viktor really was just an overgrown child when he got sick.

“You have to eat first, Viktor. I made some soup, and I’ll bring your medicine too, so you should go wait in bed and get as much rest as you can.”

Viktor tightened his grasp, “But I don’t wanna leave youuu! I’m cold, and the bed is lonely when you’re not in it! Warm me up, Yuuri!”

Yuuri sighed. Sick Viktor was somehow even clingier than usual too. “Don’t worry, I’ll only be in the kitchen for five seconds. I hope you’ve learned your lesson now and won’t try to sleep naked right after you bathe again. It is winter you know, and your hair was still wet when you went to sleep last night. Yuuri absentmindedly played with Viktor’s silver hair. The hair that he had admired so much both as a child and as an adult. “Not to mention you just got back yesterday. You need rest, Viktor.” 

“I know… And today was supposed to be a relaxing day off…”

Yuuri chuckled upon hearing that. “Don’t worry, just focus on getting better. We can plan something big for your next day off to make up for today. For right now, do you think you can sit back and let me get you some soup?”

Viktor puffed his cheeks out stubbornly, but he let Yuuri to get back to the kitchen. At least he got a nice view of his husband’s backside. 

“You know Yuuri, I was planning on making love to you today. It’s been a week since the last time we did it.” 

Yuuri almost dropped his spoon into the pot. He blushed, and Viktor smirked at the sight of Yuuri’s ears turning red. Yuuri kept mixing the soup to calm himself down. Even after four years of living together, Yuuri was still easily flustered by Viktor’s shameless flirting. Despite everything, his purity made Viktor’s heart clench and swell with love and adoration. 

At first Yuuri wanted to live alone in an apartment near the elementary school, but Viktor had begged him to move into the penthouse with him and Yurio. After all, they had a few unused guest rooms, though Viktor preferred Yuuri sleeping with him. A year passed before Yuuri agreed to sleep in the same bed as Viktor, but that was only after they’d gotten married. They both now wore two golden rings each on their hands, one for their engagement and one for their wedding. 

After they said their vows, it wasn’t hard to get Yuuri to move all of his stuff to Viktor’s master bedroom. They usually did it on his bed anyway, and as a bonus, the walls of Viktor’s room were soundproof. Yuuri didn’t want Yurio hearing them at night, though the boy understood what happened in the bedroom between his father and his sensei far better than Yuuri would have liked. His face always scrunched up in disgust, and one time he actually cried because his papa had taken his sensei away from him. Often Yuuri’s scent mixed with Viktor’s, making Yurio cry even harder when he was reminded that his sensei wasn’t completely his anymore. Luckily he had Otabek to vent to when he needed it. Otabek kept him calm(er), and Yurio was steadily spending more and more time at his friend’s place before dinner. 

Yuuri stopped working at the elementary school after he got married to Viktor. That was three years ago, after Yurio graduated from kindergarten, but he still helped out when he was called on by Yakov or another old colleague. Yuuri wanted to focus all his attention on raising Yurio and tending to Viktor. 

As he went to get a bowl for Viktor’s soup, Yuuri looked up at the framed picture that Yurio had drawn for his birthday. In addition to the one that Yurio had drawn as a kindergartener, there was another one that he had given Yuuri as a third grader. Now, the old one wasn’t exactly art museum worthy, especially with the hastily scribbled almost-bald-Viktor, was but the newer one was almost worse… Which was funny because Yurio had learned about proportions in art class just before drawing it. Yurio had drawn Yuuri and himself surprisingly well, but their depictions contrasted strongly with the scratchy stick figure next to Yuuri. Yuuri actually had to ask Yurio what that was, and Viktor whined for hours when Yurio said it was him. Yuuri framed both of them with the flowers that Yurio had given him with the drawings. Both the wilted flower from Yuuri’s 20th birthday and the white lily from his 23rd sat preserved on the wall.

Makkachin walked to the living room, nudging his nose against Viktor side as Vicchan followed close behind. Makkachin licked Viktor’s face as his way of helping him get better, and Vicchan rested his head on Viktor’s side, his fur tickling Viktor’s stomach and making him laugh.

Yuuri decided that the soup was good enough to serve, so he arranged a bowl of soup, a medicine pill, and a glass of water on a tray before heading over to the couch. He shushed Makkachin and Vicchan, who were wagging their tails in the hopes of stealing Viktor’s food, but Yuuri gave them a stern look.

“Viktor, eat first and then drink the medicine, okay?” Yuuri put a fever pack on his forehead before putting the tray on Viktor’s lap. 

Naturally Viktor wailed and begged Yuuri to feed him. Yuuri closed his eyes and sighed exasperatedly, as if he didn’t want to feed Viktor, but they both knew that wasn’t the case. Viktor was always looking for an excuse to get Yuuri to spoil him, usually by claiming it was too cold not to cuddle. He never failed to take advantage of being sick when he could, and he made sure that Yuuri didn’t pass up any opportunities to let Viktor spoil him when he was the sick one either. Yuuri smiled patiently before blowing on the first spoonful of soup.

Viktor smiled happily as Yuuri fed him, eating the food with a big smile. He was blessed with a lovely husband who knew his way around the kitchen. He didn’t even realize he was this hungry, but Yuuri’s food always made him crave more. Kind of like how he craved Yuuri more as he spent more time with Yuuri in his life. He always wanted his attention and was willing to compete with Yurio for it if he had to.

Viktor was content here with Yuuri babying him. It was lucky that today was a day off too. The last time he got sick, he had tried to go to work, but then he collapsed on Yuuri on his way to the closet. Yuuri had scolded him and lectured him about his health until he was on the verge of tears, and the emotions that Viktor felt were incredibly foreign to him. On one hand, he’d hated himself for worrying Yuuri enough to make him cry, but at the same time he was touched that Yuuri cared so much for him. That night, Yuuri had snuggled close to Viktor, not even caring that Viktor was probably contagious.

Yurio still hadn’t stopped considering moving in with Otabek. Not with his parents being all lovey dovey all the time.

Yurio spent much of his time at Otabek’s and occasionally got to sleep over. Viktor had initially been strongly opposed to Yurio sleeping over at someone else’s apartment, but Yuuri made it his mission to convince Viktor to let Yurio have a social life. It took a katsudon dinner, a few kisses, and a very passionate night, but eventually Viktor relented. That didn’t stop Viktor from moaning that Yuuri had cheated though. In the end, Yuuri’s efforts were rewarded by Yurio’s happy face when he told him that he could play with his friend more freely now. Yurio had given him a long hug and kissed his cheek before running off to school.

“He looks happy,” Viktor had said. Yuuri had smiled, touching his husband’s cheek. “Don’t you want to see him happy?”

Viktor had pouted at him. “Yuuri, I’m just worried. I know Otabek is a good kid, but I can’t help but-“

Yuuri had shushed him before he could finish his sentence and pecked Viktor’s cheek, catching the man off guard.

“They’re elementary schoolers, Viktor, calm down. Now let me fix your necktie before you’re late.” Yuuri had pulled down the tie carefully as Viktor stared lovingly at him. When Yuuri was done, Viktor had pulled him down to kiss Yuuri until his knees were wobbly. 

And that was how Yuuri convinced Viktor to tone down his overprotectiveness, at least on the outside.

It was near late afternoon when Yurio came home, and Viktor hadn’t left the living room because Yuuri was doing housework all day. He woke up for lunch, but spent most of the day asleep on the couch. Yuuri was glad that the medicine seemed to be working. Seeing Viktor sleeping soundly somehow calmed his mind.

After four years, Yuuri had gotten a lot better at handling media attention. Viktor had walked him through it and supported him. Now he was more comfortable with himself, and it was all thanks to Viktor. 

It was almost dinner time when Viktor stirred in his sleep, slowly opening his eyes. His stomach grumbled at the smell coming from the kitchen. He pushed himself up to see the back of Yuuri’s figure in front of the stove. 

“Mmm, Yuuri what are you making?” 

“Viktor? You’re awake? Just some soup and some chicken... I’m almost done. How do you feel?”

Viktor slowly got up and slipped into the kitchen, hugging Yuuri from behind. Yuuri almost dropped his ladle.

“Mmm, not great… I didn’t get to wake up next to you.”

Yuuri chuckled, “You’re exaggerating, Viktor. Wait at the table, and I’ll bring your medicine to you.”

Viktor reluctantly nodded. He slid into the chair, actually feeling better and more refreshed now as he waited for Yuuri to finish the soup. At some point had Yurio slipped into one of the chairs to wait for dinner as well. Viktor smiled at his son. “So how was school today, Yurio?”

Yurio played with his spoon. “Nothing special. The kids are the same and I’ve finished my homework.” 

Viktor grinned. “Today Yuuri fed me! And at lunch, Lilia called and told me to take an extra day off to recover tomorrow! Where do you want to go? The amusement park? The beach? The zoo?”

Yurio suddenly turned starry eyed. “Can I sleep over at Otabek’s tonight? He wants to show me the mini planetarium that he got for his birthday! And I don’t mind the zoo.”

Before Viktor could respond, Yuuri put down the pot of soup in the middle of the table. “Of course you can go over to Otabek’s, Yurio. Just let us know if you need anything, we’ll be right here.” Yurio’s mood improved tenfold, and he smiled incredibly happily. Viktor pouted though. It was like Yurio wanted to spend time with Otabek more than he did with the family, and Viktor didn’t want Yurio to grow away that fast…

Yuuri turned to Viktor, “And we’ll see about your fever tomorrow before anything happens. You’re supposed to be resting, not walking around! What if Lilia saw you?”

“But Yuuuri,” he protested. “We never get the chance to date anymore! I really wanna do something with you and Yurio.”

Yuuri answered with gentle smile, “we’ll see tomorrow, Viktor. Your health is what’s important right now.” Yuuri scooped a bowl of soup for Yurio and placed a hamburger steak on his plate alongside some steamed vegetables. Yuuri gave Viktor some soup, rice, and steamed chicken for his cold. Both of them ate heartily, very different from Yuuri, who are relatively slowly. They talked and laughed and occasionally Yuuri had to wipe some soup from the side of Yurio’s mouth, only to have Viktor nudge him and silently ask him to do the same for him. Yuuri sighed in resignation and compiled each time. 

“Mama spoils papa too much!”

Yuuri blushed, still not used to how Yurio had started referring to him, though really it was Viktor’s fault for encouraging Yurio to call him “Mama.” According to Yurio, calling him “papa” would be too confusing with Viktor around, but “dad” and “father” sounded too old for Yuuri. So the boy call him that and seems to liked it so much.

When they all finished their food, Yuuri put the dishes in the dishwasher while Yurio helped to clean the table. Viktor was forced to return to the couch to take his medicine and rest. Yuuri then proceeded to help Yurio pick a change of clothes for tomorrow morning and packed his stuffed tiger into a small bag. When they were done, Yurio said goodbye to Viktor and walked out with Yuuri.

Otabek opened his door slowly before seeing Yurio there and smiling. Yuuri smiled at him and told him to call either him or Viktor if something happened or they needed anything. Otabek nodded politely in acknowledgement and waited for Yurio to finish giving Yuuri one last hug before he went inside with Otabek. 

Yuuri returned to the apartment to check on Viktor. When he didn’t see him on the couch, he ended up finding Viktor on the bed, looking through his phone.

Yuuri hoped he hadn’t uploaded any secret selfies from when Yuuri had his back turned. He did that the last time he was sick. Yuuri headed over to the other side of the bed to grab his own phone from the nightstand, but then Viktor grabbed it first.

“Viktor! What are you doing?”

“Umm… Something?” Viktor smiled guiltily, and suddenly Yuuri was very concerned. What did he do?? Yuuri jumped on Viktor in an attempt to retrieve his phone. Viktor simply laughed as he held it just out of reach.

When Yuuri finally did manage to reach it, he didn’t bother to getting off of Viktor, effectively trapping the man beneath him while he checked his phone.

On his SNS, there was a status update that he definitely didn’t write himself:

I LOVE VIKTOR. 

Yuuri face palmed. There were already tons of comments… The first one was from Chris, saying, ‘Yeah Viktor, we all know Yuuri loves you.’

‘Stop acting like a love starved baby, Viktor,’ Emil had said.

Well that could have been worse. It probably helped that this wasn’t the first time Viktor had hacked his account.

Yuuri sighed and put down his phone. Viktor wiggled under him, kissing his neck and chest repeatedly.

“I’m sorry Yuuri, I can’t help it.” 

“You know I love you, there’s no need to do something like this, Viktor.”

“But your SNS is so deserted, Yuuri! I couldn’t help but post something!” He stubbornly puffed his cheeks out at him and wrapped his arms around Yuuri. Now Yuuri was the one giggling and squirming to get free.

“Yuuri! Now that we’re alone, don’t you think it’s the perfect chance to have some sexy time? I reeeeally miss you.” He tapped his lips repeatedly, hoping for a kiss.

“Vi-viktor! You’re still recovering!” he could never help but blush when Viktor was bold like that.

Yuuri tried to push himself up, but Viktor kept him pressed tight against him.

“I’m better now! Please Yuuri? Just one round? I’ll go to sleep right away, I promise!” 

“You said yourself that you felt like you were going to die this morning!” Yuuri couldn’t help but panic when he felt a familiar bulge starting to form between them.

“But I’m better now! Please love me, Yuuri~” Viktor kissed his neck and whispered into his ear. “Yuuri, don’t you miss me?” Viktor bucked his hips up until his bulge was pressed between Yuuri’s legs.

Viktor continued to coo encouragingly as Yuuri tried to reason out the best course of action. Viktor was clearly horny, as evidenced by the bulge rubbing against his thighs. Sighing in exasperation, Yuuri leaned down to kiss Viktor in response. The kiss soon become heated and demanding as Viktor explored his mouth, licking and nipping and twirling around Yuuri’s tongue inside that lovely cavern. Yuuri eventually pulled away for a second to catch his breath. They both laid panting against each other for a moment, but then Yuuri’s hand moved south to remove his husband’s pants. He maneuvered himself down to give a small lick to his husband’s already hard member. 

He didn't want to go all the way and tire Viktor out when he needed rest, so he figured a blow job would be a good compromise. As he took more of Viktor into his mouth, he looked up to see Viktor’s eyes hooded with lust and his face flushed as Yuuri pleasured him skillfully. It didn’t take long before Yuuri gave the final lick that had Viktor releasing into his mouth. Yuuri coughed a bit at the sudden spurt, and Viktor sat up quickly to wipe Yuuri’s face. He ruffle his hair lovingly before hugging him.

Yuuri wiped his lips with the back of his hand. “Now please go to sleep, Viktor. Your face is all red now…” Yuuri patted his back and moved away, aiming to head over to the bathroom, but then Viktor stopped him, pulling him back to the bed and trapping him with his body. Yuuri felt a familiar hardness on his thigh. Viktor was already hard again...

“That’s not enough, Yuuri! We haven’t gone all the way yet!” He gave a playful grin and kissed his cheek.

His hand snaked down under his boxers to rub against his husband’s lovely entrance. Oh how he miss this lewd little pucker when he was out of town. He smeared a little bit of leftover cum over it, and Yuuri trashed weakly.

“V-viktor! We can’t do this while you’re still sick- Ah!” he moaned when a familiar digit entered his body, circling his soft walls and making him jolt when it found his weak spot.

“Viktor!” 

Of course it didn't take long for him to find it, he had already mastered the art of finding Yuuri’s prostrate years ago. 

“Found it~ Just relax, Yuuri. You’re so tight, let me loosen you up.” He added another digit and started scissoring. 

“Viktor- ah! No, what if yo-your fever comes back? Ngh!” Yuuri leaned into Viktor’s touch as Viktor kissed him. With his other hand, Viktor yanked Yuuri’s pants down in one swift motion. 

“V-Viktor…!”

“Shh~ Just relax and enjoy this, okay?” He kissed his chest and bit his neck, reveling in the taste. No matter how many times they did this, Yuuri’s body always succeeded in arousing him with shameless desire. 

The air around them was hot, and Viktor was sweating above Yuuri, preparing his body to take him. He was still a little weak from his fever, but he was too far gone to stop now. 

“Yuuri, spread you legs wider, please.” Yuuri, who was also too far gone, obediently opened his legs more so that Viktor could slip between his thighs. Viktor lined his member up with Yuuri’s already swollen entrance. 

The sight made Viktor twitch. He growled loudly, biting Yuuri’s neck. Yuuri replied by kissing his lips. 

“Yuuri, I love you.” He shut his eyes before pressing himself down slowly. 

He pushed his member past his husband’s entrance, feeling how soft and tight Yuuri was around him. He waited a moment for his love to relax beneath him, a moment that he took to revel in the feeling of being engulfed by the velvet heat he had grown to love so much. When they were both ready, Viktor began moving his hips. 

He started off slow and sweet, getting Yuuri used to the pace, but soon each thrust was hard and deliberate, and the bed was creaking with each movements. Yuuri moaned Viktor’s name repeatedly. He arched up to match each of Viktor’s thrusts with heavenly sounds of pleasure that Viktor never stopped wanting to hear. Yuuri clung to Viktor tightly, getting some much needed friction as his own member rubbed against Viktor’s hard abdomen. 

A particularly strong hit to Yuuri’s sweet spot had him holding Viktor impossibly tighter as he released between their bodies. Viktor groaned at the sudden clench of Yuuri’s inner walls and soon followed with his own release. Yuuri threw his head back and moaned as Viktor filled him up from deep inside of him, and Viktor buried his face in the crook of his neck. 

For a moment they simply laid there, panting as they came down from their post-orgasm highs. Eventually, Viktor found enough willpower to reluctantly pull his softening member out of Yuuri. The movement made Yuuri wince, prompting Viktor to push Yuuri’s bangs from his face and kiss him sweetly. Yuuri kissed back for a little bit before leaning in to whisper into Viktor’s ear. 

“How’s your fever?” 

Viktor chuckled weakly, rolling to lay next to Yuuri. “I’m fine, just a bit weak, but I’m much better now.”

Yuuri hummed, crawling on top of him to sit on Viktor’s stomach.

“Good, because I’m not satisfied yet.” 

He kissed Viktor’s forehead before shifting to straddle his hips.

Viktor groaned, a red blush forming on his cheeks.

“Yuuri, you really will be the death of me.”

 

...

 

Viktor felt something nudge at his side before licking his face.

“Makkachin, how did you get in here...?” He opened his eyes and was greeted by the sight of a large poodle licking his face. A small bark at the foot of the bed told him that Vicchan was there too. 

Yuuri wasn’t by his side. He looked around the room for his love, but he couldn’t find him anywhere.

Viktor yawned against the pillow. “Vicchan, where’s Yuuri?”

The small poodle only looked at him before jumping on the bed and tugging at the edge of his sheets.

Viktor lazily slipped out of bed and pulled on a clean pair of briefs before following the dogs out.

His hips were a little tired… Maybe he was getting old. Yuuri was still young and had incredible stamina. Sometimes he wondered if he cold keep up with Yuuri’s insatiable nature. Yuuri was incredibly sexy when his switch got flipped though. His husband was definitely the best. As he stepped out of the hallway, he spied Yuuri’s familiar figure, and a heavenly scent greeted his nostrils.

“Yuuri, are you making pancakes?” Viktor slipped around the counter, looking over the bowl of batter and the pan on the stove.

“Ah, you’re awake? And they’ll be done in a minute, just hold on…”

Vicchan and Makkachin waited excitedly at Yuuri’s feet, knowing that there was food cooking and already hoping for leftovers. 

Viktor didn’t move to the dining table. Instead he put one arm over Yuuri’s shoulder and let his free hand roam Yuuri’s smaller frame, squeezing some of the soft parts around his hips.

“Viktor...” Yuuri huffed exasperatedly. “Please go wait by the table,” he said, kissing Viktor’s cheek. “Vicchan, Makkachin, hold on for a bit, I’ll get your food right after this.”

The dogs whined, clearly wanting some pancakes. Yuuri sighed, deciding to compromise by giving them both treats from the bag next to the stove. 

“Now go to your bowls and wait there. Pancakes aren’t good for dogs.”

The dogs skipped happily to their bowls, but Viktor lingered at his back, not wanting to leave. His hands started roaming south and groped Yuuri’s lovely behind before starting moving towards some more intimate parts.

Yuuri squeaked. He pinched Viktor’s hand, causing the older of the two to yelp and jump back immediately.

“Viktor, don’t be naughty! It’s dangerous when I’m cooking. Go wait at the table, there’ll be plenty of time for that later.”

Viktor puffed cheeks out, but moved to the table obediently. In his seat, he admired the view of Yuuri’s figure and traced the curves of his husband’s body with his eyes. As he waited for Yuuri to finish cooking, he decided it might be a good idea to check his phone for messages and SNS updates. 

Yuuri had been thoughtful enough to charge both of their phones on the kitchen counter, so Viktor got up to unplug his and started scrolling. Of course there were work messages from Lilia and coworkers, but he decided he didn’t want to deal with them at the moment. Viktor opened Instagram as he sat back in his seat. Quickly he snapped a shot of Yuuri reaching for the dog food on the second shelf of a cabinet and posted it. Happily, he went to look at some of his other “Yuuri around the house” photos. They always got thousands of likes and comments, but Viktor’s mood was instantly halted by several commenter who said they’d “totally take Yuuri if Viktor ever divorced him.”

Like hell that would happen! Yuuri was his now and forever. He fumed angrily as he read some of the comment’s replies. Someone had shamelessly left an obscene comment about Yuuri’s sexy thighs and curvy figure.

Viktor nearly cracked his phone upon seeing that. It didn’t matter if people made comments like that about him, but not Yuuri! Suddenly the sound of clattering plates snapped him out of his thoughts, and Yuuri was there in front of him, putting down plates of pancakes. There was a plate of jam, butter, honey, and syrup too. 

Before Yuuri came to live with them, they only ever had cereal or leftover takeout for breakfast. Now things were different. These days they had pancakes, waffles, miso soup with grilled fish, rice… A lot had changed since Yuuri had moved in. Some of Viktor’s favorite moments were Yuuri teaching him and Yurio to cook things that were actually edible. He smiled at the memory.

Viktor ate the pancakes with a happy appreciation. He was so incredibly grateful for Yuuri’s love. He watched as Yuuri poured syrup on his own plate of pancakes, memorizing his husband’s face, nose, lips, and gentle eyes as if he hadn’t already done it a hundred times before. 

The one who gave him two most important things.

A life and love.

He was his heart and his home, and always would be. Viktor could never belong anywhere more than he belonged at Yuuri’s side. 

They heard the front door open and listened to Yurio’s delighted voice as he smelled the food.

“I want pancakes too!” He dashed to the dining table and bounced up and down in his chair. Yuuri gave him some pancakes from his stack and asked him about his time at Otabek’s. Yurio’s eyes sparkled as dug into his food and launched excitedly into a story. Viktor closed his eyes, a gentle smile on his face...

This was their precious home, his precious family. 

His most beloved treasures.

 

Fin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you interested in my new story, the title will be 'where our heart lies' and will be posted around 2-3 weeks from now :') thank you for reading this imperfect fics! I'm So sorry for any mistakes >_< Hope to see you again, bye!

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry for any mistakes :'(  
> You can visit my [ tumblr ](http://rinsairi.tumblr.com) for some doodles there  
> thank you ^^


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